MuggleCast 171 Transcript
Show Intro
[Intro music plays]
Andrew: And good Thursday evening to everybody. Here we are, and just nine hours ago, Warner Brothers decided, “Hey, let’s surprise the fans again!” And a new trailer has been released. I’m here with Eric, Matt, and Micah. Hello, ladies.
[Prolonged silence]
Andrew: Hello?
Eric: I don’t see any ladies here.
Matt: I know. What are you talking about, dude?
Eric: Do you see any ladies, Micah?
Andrew: I’m sorry about that. Ben is supposed to be here, too, but the nerve of these people who, you know, they come on this show, and its like, “Oh, I’m a big time host, I can show up whenever I want now.” So Ben will show up whenever he decides to. But what were the chances? What were the chances, ladies and gentlemen, that we were going to have a trailer the same day our live show was planned?
Micah: Oh, what a coincidence.
Andrew: What a coincidence.
Micah: That’s just amazing.
Andrew: Well, here’s the funny story: Matt, Laura, Micah, and I were recording episode 171 last night, and literally wrapping up the show, “Well, okay, bye you guys, bye!” and I see WB’s calling, and I’m like, “Oh, crap.” Because it’s either really good news or really bad news with WB. So I don’t answer it until after we’re done recording, and then, you know, talk on the phone. And, long story short, trailer tomorrow. And then I tell Matt, Micah, and Laura, and it’s like a collective, “Ugh!”
[Andrew and Eric laugh]
Andrew: Because we had just finished recording the other show. Not because we have, you know, a new trailer. That’s, of course, very exciting.
Matt: We’re still going to release that episode, right?
Andrew: Yes, of course. Yes, that’ll be out over the weekend.
Matt: Okay.
HBP Trailer Discussion
Andrew: So, let’s talk about this trailer. I think everyone’s really excited that another one came out. And look at this, WB’s actually keeping up on their promise that we would have a trailer, or that – remember – what’s his face? That guys behind WB who does – oh, Alan Horn, that’s it. He was like, “Oh, yeah, we’re going to be, you know, we’re going to keep the fans occupied. We know we got to keep them happy with this extra long wait.”
[Prolonged silence]
Andrew: Isn’t that right? [laughs]
Matt: Yeah. [laughs] That didn’t really sound like the end of a conversation, so I was waiting for the end.
Andrew: No, that was pretty much the end. Anyway, let’s talk about some of the big things in this trailer. Let’s start with the overall feelings of this trailer. I mean, is this the darkest one yet? That’s the end of the sentence, by the way.
Matt: Oh.
Eric: Question mark.
Matt: I think it’s the most somber of them yet.
Andrew: It’s very depressing.
Matt: Yeah. Kind of makes you want to dye your hair black and part it to the side.
Andrew: And wear tight black pants and put on Paramore shirts from Hot Topic.
Matt: Yes. Is that a shot at me?
Micah: I can’t really say that, to be honest.
Andrew: What? What, Micah?
Micah: I don’t think it would make me want to do that, to be honest.
Andrew: [laughs] Well what did you think of the trailer?
Eric: What Micah is saying is that he needs a whip.
[Andrew laughs]
A Lot of the Same Stuff
Micah: No, what I thought of the trailer – and I don’t want to rain on anybody’s parade here – production-wise I thought it was a great trailer.
Andrew: Yeah.
Micah: But content-wise, I wasn’t thrilled.
Andrew: Why not?
Micah: It felt like a lot of the same stuff that we’ve already seen. We got a couple of new scenes, as I’m sure we’re going to talk about, but overall there was a lot of the same for me. I feel like I’m on American Idol right now.
Andrew: [laughs] Yo, yo, dog, yo, it was just a lot of the same, man. I wasn’t feeling it, I wasn’t feeling it.
[Eric laughs]
Micah: Exactly. It’s not what we saw during Hollywood Week.
Andrew: No.
Eric: But it’s coming back for the wild card, you guys know that, right?
Andrew: [laughs] Yeah. I was just about to make that joke. So, listen, Eric, what did you think of it? Do you think it’s reflective of the movie? Of this PG movie?
Eric: Actually, I’ve only been able to listen to it. My laptop screen died…
Andrew: What?
Eric: Just as I was turning it on earlier today. Yeah, my laptop screen is shot. This laptop has been with me since, oh, not the beginning of MuggleCast, okay, so it’s not that dramatic, but yes, I’ve only been able to listen to the trailer. But I was worried at first. I was like, “Oh great,” you know? My initial reaction was like, what more can they give away? Like, what more scenes from the movie can they possibly reveal? Because personally, I feel like when I heard there was a trailer, I feared, “Oh great, WB has had this film in the can way too long.” That what we’ve seen before, with them overdoing clips, giving pretty much the whole movie out for download to people before the movie came out. I was worried that it was going to be more new stuff, making the actual film not as cool. But I guess I like the tone of this trailer. That’s all I can say until I see it…
Andrew: Yeah.
Eric: …but I like the tone of this trailer and I agree with what you guys are saying.
Andrew: Yeah. I mean, look, it’s a really dark trailer, and even the ending was very sad. There wasn’t that climatic build up that we’ve seen in other trailers before.
Matt: Yeah.
Andrew: Matt, what did you think? Disagree? Agree?
Matt: I think I kind of agree with a little more Micah than the rest. I really like the scenes that we got to see. A couple of them were really cool, but, you know, I just wasn’t feeling this trailer. Because a little bit – it was too somber for a Harry Potter trailer. Because we always see a big upshot at the very end…
Andrew: Yeah.
Matt: …not an upshot but an upset at the end, and I just wasn’t seeing it. I guess I didn’t really see what they were trying to go for, what they were trying to appeal to the audience with this trailer. I guess that’s what I’m trying to say.
Andrew: Ben’s joining us now. Hey, Ben, thanks for coming on, you know, five minutes late. It’s not that big of a deal. You’re a big star now, so you can show up whenever you want.
Ben: I know. Well you didn’t call me. I told you I wanted a text message, I need text messages.
Andrew: You never told me that! You never told me that. Anyway, as everyone may remember, our last live show, Ben at the end of the show had a vision where he predicted when the next trailer will come out, and he didn’t get the date exactly, but he got it pretty close. Let’s replay that now in case you forgot.
Ben Predicts Trailer’s Release Date
[Ben making gasping sounds]
Matt: What the hell?
Andrew: Trelawney?
Ben: The new trailer will come out – on February 27th.
Andrew: Whoa.
Matt: Jeez!
Andrew: So there you go. Ben predicted – Ben, do you remember that? Because you seemed very flustered after you had that vision.
Ben: No, I remember flashes of it, but…
Andrew: Yeah. It was…
Matt: Were you constipated?
[Andrew laughs]
Ben: Sounds like it.
Andrew: [laughs] Well so February 27th, that’s not bad! That’s a week ago come tomorrow, so that wasn’t bad. Good job. Maybe you didn’t read the tea leaves correct or something.
Ben: Awfully close.
Andrew: Yeah, it was pretty close. Okay so we have a few things to go through about this trailer. By the way, Ben, what’d you think of the trailer overall? We’re going to get in specifics in a minute.
Ben: Trailer. Well, I watched it in HD, like…
Andrew: Show off.
Ben: A lot of people. But the quality was just awesome.
Andrew: Mhm.
Ben: I thought the quality was great. It looks like it’s going to be another good movie, I mean…
Andrew: Yeah.
Ben: All good.
Andrew: Mhm.
Harry Potter Films Need That “Wow” Factor
Ben: But the thing about the Harry Potter movies – I want to get this out there – is they’re all good movies. I think everyone can agree on that. But there isn’t one that transcends greatness.
Andrew: [laughs] What do you mean?
Ben: Like Lord of the Rings movies.
Matt: Yeah.
Andrew: There’s not one that stands out? Is that what you’re saying or what?
Ben: Well, I mean, Harry Potter movies are – they seem to be the movies that people see because Harry Potter is a very popular thing. You know what I mean?
Andrew: Right.
Ben: They’re not – I don’t feel that they’re the type of movie that somebody really wants to go see because it’s true cinematic excellence in the same way as Lord of the Rings.
Andrew: Mhm.
Ben: And that’s kind of what I’m anticipating with the rest of the movies. That’s what I’m hoping, that’s what I’m looking for. That’s what I’m holding out for, you know?
Andrew: Mhm.
Ben: There’s something that really just says “Wow.” You guys understand what I’m saying?
Andrew: No, I understand what you’re saying. I think – there seems to be – and this trailer really helps what I’m thinking. The film has become so – and I guess all the trailers are this way – so beautiful. I really feel like there’s something different about this one.
Matt: Yeah.
Andrew: Maybe it’s that it’s the darkest yet. I don’t know there’s just something so extra epic about it.
Film Texture
Matt: It does seem very water-colored, I guess I could say.
Andrew: There’s a lot of single colored…
Matt: Yeah.
Andrew: It’s like blue shots and green shots.
Matt: Very smooth-edged. It’s not as sharp as the original movies were.
Andrew: Yeah.
Matt: You know what I’m talking about?
Andrew: Yeah. And do you guys remember…
Ben: Yeah, yeah. Go ahead, sorry.
Andrew: Do you remember with the first trailer, we saw these scenes of young Dumbledore going to visit young Riddle, and it wasn’t all blurry like this is.
Matt: Mhm.
Andrew: Do you remember that?
Matt: Yeah.
Andrew: So what’s the difference here? Is it just that the special effects are done and this is the memory? I mean, it is the memory. I just thought that was interesting.
Matt: Mhm.
Ben: Well, I mean, it would make sense for the memory to be a bit blurred because I think the point that we’re trying to get across there is that – Jo’s kind of stressed that memories are subjective in a way, I think.
Andrew: Yeah.
Ben: Well actually, I think when Emerson asked her if it was subjective, she made it sound like it wasn’t. So I don’t know, but personally – I mean, I think everybody knows that memories are a subjective thing.
Andrew: Yeah.
Ben: So the fact that it’s a bit blurry makes sense.
Andrew: [laughs] Okay, this is going to sound really messed up, but so – wouldn’t it be funny if you saw what people were thinking during that memory, too? So like, you know, since Dumbledore…
Eric: You can’t see thoughts, man.
Andrew: So, you know, Dumbledore may be having a dirty thought or two. [laughs]
Matt: What is with you trying to make Dumbledore some dirty old man?
Andrew: No! We know he’s not, but I’m just saying…
Matt: But you’re always trying to say it.
Andrew: Okay, whatever.
Eric: I think the purpose of a Pensieve – wasn’t it explained in Book 4 – that it actually fleshes out the memory a little bit more, makes it a little bit more realistic. Like you can travel and see what other people are doing in your memory, even if you aren’t within earshot, as Harry does in Book 5.
Andrew: Right.
Matt: And so it’s kind of like that is – I think J.K.R. called it “the magic of the Pensieve.” So – but then, you see Slughorn and he’s able to manipulate the memory – albeit poorly – but you can guess by what Dumbledore says that it can be done a little bit more professionally to edit the memory. But you can still do it.
Andrew: Right. Well, here’s what we’ll do. We’ll go piece through piece, I guess you would say, through the trailer. I thought there was going to be – oh, here we go. So, the big thing with this is that there’s Dumbledore – it’s his narration. So let’s listen to that and then we’ll discuss it. By the way, people on Ustream are watching this live, so…
Eric: Oh, Andrew.
Andrew: What?
Eric: One thing I wanted to mention, I have seen the trailer now. I plugged it into my TV.
Andrew: Oh, nice.
Eric: Yeah. I love it.
Andrew: Good job. Here we go.
Matt: Thank god.
Edited Dialogue
[Trailer clip plays]
Andrew: So it’s pretty epic. I mean – [laughs] – and this goes back to that other trailer where there’s big musical build up. [hums tune] “I want you to see it.” Boom! So what do you guys think…
Matt: Yeah!
Andrew: …of Dumbledore’s narration? Is this actually in the film? Like, is this Dumbledore talking to Harry?
Matt: It doesn’t seem like it to me because it seems very choppy. They just edited it from what he was telling Harry.
Andrew: Well I guess Eric would have the answer.
Matt: Oh yeah.
Andrew: In a way, though, I don’t want to know. [laughs]
Eric: Yeah, I can’t say definitively that this was in the movie, is the thing, which is what’s shocking about it…
Andrew: So was there only a part or something?
Eric: Well, I just can’t guarantee that that dialogue is in there. I mean obviously it’s cut, or it sounds cut, but I actually think that a lot of this, for narration’s sake, was actually – obviously it was redubbed – but Michael Gambon in this movie is, as I’ve said before, really cares or appears to care a whole lot more about the character and I wouldn’t be surprised if he came back and did this narration because it’s just that awesome. I don’t remember his being exactly like, “I knew this boy who did all the wrong choices.” Blah blah blah.
Andrew: Oh okay.
Eric: I really doubt, actually, that that is in the movie like that…
Andrew: I think it’d be pretty sick if he did this just for the movie, or just for the trailer. I mean, and then there was also – I remember we were making fun of that – I guess it was the IMAX trailer, when he was like mumbling and we were joking that he just went into the studio real quick, did one take, and got out of there.
Eric: Yeah.
Matt: Yeah.
Andrew: Yeah, so I don’t know. So Eric definitively says he doesn’t remember it being exactly this way, so I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.
Matt: Mhm.
Dumbledore’s Tone
Andrew: But Dumbledore had – what’d you guys think of Dumbledore’s tone? It was very weak. There was a…
Matt: Well he’s dying…
Andrew: Yeah I know. [laughs] We’ll talk about the black hand in a bit because you do see it pretty clearly in this trailer. But what’d you think of his tone? Was it – fill in the blank. Matt?
Matt: Somber. Dying.
Andrew: Awesome, awesome.
Eric: Okay, Micah?
[Andrew laughs]
Micah: [laughs] I like somber. I think that’s probably the perfect word to describe it.
Matt: Thank you.
Andrew: Yeah. I mean, it just felt so nice. I have so much faith in Michael Gambon now. I love it.
Eric: Yeah, I’m going to say bookish.
Andrew: Bookish? What, his tone?
Eric: That’s my word for it, yeah.
Andrew: Okay.
Matt: I know what you’re going to say, Andrew.
Andrew: Gay?
Matt: Yeah.
[Everyone laughs]
Andrew: No, I was not going to say gay.
Eric: Pretty and witty and gay.
Andrew: [laughs] No, I was not going to say that. He does not sound like that at all. He sounds very serious and dying. I think that was good. I think that was accurate.
Riddle Opens a Cabinet That’s On Fire
Andrew: Now, let’s go through a couple of things in particular that we saw of interest. Tom Riddle opening the cabinet on fire. Matt, you want to talk about that?
Matt: Yeah, he opens a cabinet that’s on fire.
Andrew: Can you be more descriptive than that?
[Ben laughs]
Matt: Yeah. He opens it slowly and kind of slowly looks in, and the cabinet’s on fire.
Andrew: I’m sorry – you’re so good, thanks.
[Matt laughs]
Andrew: I’m going to sound like an idiot, but I don’t remember that…
Matt: Yeah, remember? Tom Riddle likes to keep mementos of his victims, and in that little box is what he keeps.
Andrew: Oh, right.
Matt: Because I think Dumbledore knew or something, didn’t he? Where it was?
Andrew: I can’t remember…
Matt: I can’t remember.
Andrew: Anyone remember?
Matt: Gah!
Young Tom Riddle
Andrew: It is pretty cool though. Young Tom Riddle – there’s a lot of new footage of him in this. I mean, there’s a lot that we’ve seen before, but he looks very – he looks great. His eyes are just piercing and like…
Matt: He looks fantastic! He must’ve gotten work done.
Andrew: [laughs] Right.
Eric: [laughs] Excuse me, excuse me, who does your eyes? We’re wondering.
Andrew: Yeah.
Ben: Eric? Eric, how the hell are you?
[Matt laughs]
Eric: I’m good, Ben. How’re you doing?
Ben: Oh, I’m doing well. I just haven’t heard from you. We’re neighbors, what’s up with this?
Eric: Yeah, I know! Ask Dylan, man. He lives like ten blocks from me and I haven’t seen him.
Matt: Yeah, ladies, I hate to interrupt tea time, but we are talking about the trailer.
Eric: Yeah, so this trailer…
[Matt laughs]
Eric: Like what you’re saying about young Tom Riddle being – I mean, he looks exactly how the book describes him when he opens the flaming cabinet. He looks fearful of what’s inside, you know, obviously it’s that box of all the little relics he took from his classmates.
Luna Finding Harry on the Train
Andrew: And then – what about – a lot of people are commenting about this. Luna, when she spots Harry in the train – but the big problem is – I guess it’s fact that she can’t see through the – well she shouldn’t be able to see through the Invisibility Cloak?
Matt: Yeah it’s a Deathly Hollow – or Halo. Hallow.
Andrew: Hallow.
Eric: Halo?
Andrew: I don’t know. Eric, what did you think about that? I mean what do you think is up with that? Was that in the movie?
Eric: Yeah, okay they replaced that with Tonks finding her – I think it’s instead of Tonks finding him they have Luna finding him. I’m actually not sure if she can see him through the Spectrespecs but I think that’s how it plays out and if she does then that’s kind of cool because it verifies that – I don’t know, maybe the Spectrespecs aren’t entirely useless, you know, if they can somehow see.
Andrew: Yeah?
Eric: Actually I think it’s a bunch of Nargles or something are floating around the area where Harry is. It’s really interesting – they do it like little bugs or something that the Spectrespecs can see and I think that’s how she sees him which is – which is really awesome. And it wouldn’t be surprising. I mean some people who are defending the canon will say, hey, that’s dumb, because nothing can see the Invisibility Cloak, let alone a Deathly Hallow one, but I think it was really cool and I think not a lot of people would have put faith in Spectrespecs or expect that – expect them to be effective in this way.
Matt: Is it me or does it seem really similar to what Mad-Eye Moody’s eye can do? In that little shot, you know how it kind of zoomed in on Harry?
Andrew: Yeah, yeah sort of. But it’s sort of like – what’s that called – those – well you put your eye through and you look up to the light. What are those toys called?
Matt: A telescope?
Andrew: No…
Eric: Kaleidoscope.
Andrew: Kaleidoscope. Yeah, it’s sort of like – it’s sort of like that. I mean that’s how it’s functioning. So – so and you – hold on…
Micah: There’s a problem though.
Andrew: Okay, go ahead.
Micah: The only thing I was going to say is that you’re deviating away from the actual story and you’re making the Cloak able to be seen through yet again.
Eric: Hm, maybe not seen through. Like I said, I mean she kind of guesses Harry is there or he sees her and shouts out.
Andrew: But like…
Eric: I don’t think it’s a definitive see-through sort of thing.
Andrew: But our point of vision is through her Spectrespecs and you can clearly see him like – you know what I mean? But I do see those things around his head. So Eric, you’re saying that they added those things to [dog barks] unlock – whoa, Eric – keep your thoughts to yourself.
Eric: Sorry, I have a dog. Wait a sec I got to – I got to get the dog. Hang on.
Andrew: Okay. Well so…
Ben: Hey, Andrew…
Andrew: Yes Ben?
Ben: I’m an idiot – I just spent the last three minutes trying to talk…
Andrew: And your mic was muted?
Ben: I would try to say something – yeah, my mic was muted.
Andrew: Well, what can I say? You’re not as professional as you used to be. You show up late, you don’t know how your mute button works.
Ben: I know and I – you know I just learned something. I just heard that people on Ustream can actually see you right now?
Andrew: Yes they can. I’m live on Ustream.
Ben: So – so are you like making faces at comments that people make?
Andrew: I am not!
Ben: Like you’re just sitting there… [laughs]
Andrew: I am not!
Ben: And when someone says something stupid you’re just making a really screwed-up face.
Andrew: I write a sign and I hold up – and it reads “he’s stupid”. No, no I don’t do anything like that. I’m just sitting here.
Ben: Well, so – so can I watch you right now? Or is it going to screw up…
Andrew: You probably shouldn’t – I mean you’ll start hearing yourself echo. I mean it will be recorded so you can look at it later. I know you’re dying to check me out but…
Ben: I can’t do it later Andrew I have a source – I have a source that tells me that you do make faces.
Andrew: I made one face – I made one face when Eric and you – when you and Eric were shooting the breeze. That was it though.
Ben: Hey, don’t be making faces.
Andrew: [laughs] Okay.
Ben: I don’t like faces.
Andrew: I’m not, I’m done. Completely done.
Ben: Perfect.
Andrew: Those guys ratted me out so I can’t trust them anymore. Anyway, I’m kind of weirded out about that – the – Micah what do you think about that? The particles around his head to reveal him? Sort of?
Micah: Well, didn’t Eric just suggest that they were Nargles?
Andrew: Are Nargles…
Micah: Are you not supposed to be able to see them?
Andrew: They look like gnats though.
Micah: Maybe that’s what gives him away, as opposed to the Invisibility Cloak if she’s able to see something going on above his head. I don’t know, it’s really weird.
Matt: Well you know when – when you like hit your head or something you see dots?
Micah: Yeah that’s what it reminded me of, like an old cartoon where there’d be birds flying around the person’s head who got knocked out.
Andrew: Yeah. Well I’m just reading the definition about them. They are fleas – they are like fleas, ticks but a little bit bigger. And they were described in – in Order of the Phoenix.
Dumbledore’s Hand
Andrew: But, and then the other thing that was particularly interesting was – where am I going here? Let’s see – point – the 1:10 mark when Dumbledore and Harry are in the lake and Dumbledore is casting a spell – and you actually get a pretty good shot of Dumbledore’s black hand.
Matt: Mhm.
Andrew: It looks just black to me. Now, I don’t know how you’re supposed to picture it. I mean, actually 1:09 has the better – but it just looks like it, you know, like he just stuck it in soot or something.
Matt: Yeah. Or it looks like he accidentally spilled an ink well or something.
Andrew: Yeah, yeah. [laughs] I hope they didn’t mess that effect up.
Eric: Oh, didn’t I tell you guys? They changed that, too. He actually dips his hand in ink. By accident…
Andrew: Oh. You see?
Eric: It’s cursed ink, really.
Matt: Well that makes sense.
Andrew: No. That doesn’t make sense. They make these changes to shorten up the film. So what is he, just like, opening shot of the movie, he’s like in his office and then writing a note to his lover, and then [makes pop noise] “Whoops!”
Matt: Stop it!
Eric: Who would his lover be, Andrew?
Andrew: I don’t know anyone. How does it look in the movie – Eric, it wasn’t complete in the movie?
Eric: No, it wasn’t.
Andrew: He just had a green glove, right?
Eric: Actually, no, it was for one of the scenes. It was the train scene when the – no, no, I’m not going to say that. The beginning of the film, or towards the beginning of the film, there was a shot where it was complete. It looked great. It looked better. I haven’t seen this, I can’t watch it in High-Def on my TV, but it looks fine in the film.
Andrew: We have it up on the stream now, and it’s actually kind of hard to see. But I mean, yeah it’s – it just basically look like he stuck it in asphalt or something.
[Barking]
Eric: No, it’s a blackened, deadened hand, I’m pretty sure – whose dog is that now?
Andrew: What is this? Are we – Do we live in pet stores? What’s going on? Matt, was that you? I’m going to blame Matt this time. Yeah, he muted his stream.
Matt: Yeah, that was me. Someone got shot or something so the dogs were barking.
Andrew: Oh, okay.
[Eric laughs]
Matt: Yeah, I’m back at home, that’s why.
Andrew: Yeah, by the way, people in that chat are all like, “Why isn’t Matt on camera?” Well first of all, I’m the hostess with the mostest, so you’re going to see me. And second of all…
Matt: He gets jealous when I get all the thunder away from him.
Andrew: Matt’s not even in here. He’s an hour-and-a-half away right now. He’s in…
Eric: You guys are away? You’re spending time apart?
Andrew: He’s in a new studio in Palm Springs. We’re testing it.
Ben: A new studio.
[Andrew and Ben laugh]
Andrew: Yeah.
Eric: As in his studio apartment?
Ben: He keeps on trying to beat us down, but MuggleCast keeps on rolling.
Andrew: Keeps on ticking, baby. Okay, well some other…
MuggleSpace Plug
Ben: Well, I’d like to take the time now…
Andrew: Oh! What’s that?
Ben: To do…
Andrew: Are we breaking for an ad?
Ben: To invite everybody who’s listening to enjoy MuggleSpace, the ultimate Harry Potter social network, and the most popular Harry Potter social network online.
Matt: Yes.
Ben: We have over 13,000 members – close to 14,000- 13,780. And last show – were we trying to get 10,000? Was that what the game was?
Andrew: Yeah.
Ben: Let’s go for 14,000.
Andrew: I don’t think it will happen because we didn’t get to 10,000 last time. [laughs]
Ben: Yeah.
[Andrew and Eric laugh]
Ben: With that attitude, it’ll never happen. It’ll never happen with that attitude.
Andrew: Okay.
Ben: And everyone coming to the chat for some fun play-time with Ben Schoen.
Andrew: We just lost about 500 listeners as you did that ad, so thanks.
Eric: They all want to play with Ben.
Andrew: No, I’m just kidding. I’m just kidding.
Eric: They’re going to come back.
Ben: You’re probably making a face. That’s probably why they left.
Andrew: [laughs] No, I wasn’t. I was making a very happy, thumbs-up picture.
Eric: This live MuggleCast is brought to you by the Caption Contest.
[Ben says something unintelligible]
Andrew: Everyone stop.
Eric: Visit the Caption Contest for all of your humor needs.
[Ben laughs]
Matt: Why is everyone talking at the…
Andrew: All right, thank you guys.
[Ben laughs]
Andrew: Anyway, back to the…
Ben: Andrew! Andrew! Next time, can I be on the camera?
Andrew: If you’re here, yes. Otherwise…
Ben: I’ll have to fly all the way out to LA.
[Matt laughs]
Andrew: Yes.
Ben: Is that how it is?
Andrew: Yeah. Maybe there’s some money in the budget.
Eric: Dude, there’s no money there. You know there’s no money there.
McGonagall Gazes at the Sky
Andrew: There is no money there. Okay, well let’s talk about some other things. 1:22 – and this – it’s the shortest shot, but it just stands out because her eyes are just popping out of her head. McGonagall is, you know, looking outside of Hogwarts, and then she looks up. What is she looking at? The Dark Mark?
Matt: The sky.
Andrew: Well, the sky, but the Dark Mark? Any theories there? She suddenly jolts her head up. Micah?
Micah: Yeah, I think the Dark Mark is probably a good guess.
Andrew: It’s kind of sad, though. How she looks so sad, doesn’t she?
Micah: She looks scared.
Matt: She looks very helpless.
Andrew: Yeah, she does look scary. But it just looks…
Micah: Not scary. Scared.
Andrew: Scared.
Matt: But it could also be when Hagrid’s hut catches on fire.
Andrew: Ah, maybe. Yeah, because it actually – like throwing it back to Prisoner of Azkaban, you know how that one area of Hogwarts where you can run right out of, and then you just run down the hill? To Hagrid’s hut?
Matt: Yeah.
Andrew: It sort of looks like…
Matt: But Hagrid’s hut moves every single movie, so…
Andrew: I know. I know.
Matt: So only God know where this one is this year.
Andrew: But is sort of looks like that. But I just love it, and all these scenes, and the Ron and Hermione looking up into the sky, that’s a throw back to the back of the Half-Blood Prince cover.
Matt: Yeah, that’s really cool, I really like that.
A Dark Movie
Eric: Yeah, very ominous. I think, this trailer, with you guys saying it’s all somber, and kind of, not even your cup of tea, compared with the other ones. I like this a lot, in that it shows the darker side of the movie. It’s not all, you know, the jovial school stuff which we’ve seen time and time again, but it actually shows that this is a darker film, as it should be.
Andrew: Right.
Eric: I mean, looking at this you wouldn’t think that it is a PG movie but I guess it still is, but it shows the darker side of it, which is really good. I mean, from this trailer wouldn’t you guys say that you think that it’s at least as dark as the movies have been? Or…
Andrew: Oh yeah.
Matt: Yeah.
Andrew: But…
Eric: That’s the rewarding thing in this trailer.
Matt: But, I don’t think it’s as balanced as the other ones are, because, you know, they keep saying in all the previous interviews and things like that, that Half-Blood Prince is more, you know, funnier.
Andrew: [laughs] We’re having a laugh with this one, and then this trailer comes out and it’s like the saddest thing ever.
Matt: Yeah.
[Andrew laughs]
Eric: Yeah, but they don’t show Dumbledore dying in this one, so…
Matt: Well that would be a big spoiler. Why would you even go see the movie after that?
Andrew: Well, because it’s part of the book, that’s why. [laughs]
Matt: Well, I know, but that’s the biggest spoil of the entire movie.
Eric: Sometimes they do that.
Matt: I’m only going to see Dumbledore die.
Andrew: Well, that’s not nice.
Matt: Oh, well, they better have it in the film.
The Music
Andrew: Well, what else is there to talk about? Somebody, what did you guys think of the music? Somebody – I just got a P.M., and by the way don’t P.M. me when I’m doing the show and ask, “What’s up?” You know what’s up. I’m podcasting. That’s what’s up.
[Everyone laughs]
Andrew: You don’t need to P.M. me. Anyway, somebody, I’m going to get the name up here, A-R-O-U-S-H-K-A was asking what we think of the trailer – or the music. What do you guys think of the music? I liked it.
Matt: Yeah, it’s pretty good.
Andrew: It was just somber, was there anything new Matt? Did you pick anything up that was new?
Matt: Well, I honestly don’t think it’s from the soundtrack, but…
Andrew: No.
Matt: I think just the music was just there to stay in the background; I don’t think it was there to stand out. Just like in the previous trailers.
Eric: Why was it not in the – Why don’t you think it’s in the soundtrack?
Matt: Hmm?
Eric: Why don’t you think it’s in the soundtrack?
Matt: Oh, I don’t know. I just feel like I’ve heard it before.
Eric: Oh.
Andrew: Well, I mean, and plus what they do is they pick like – they get music from that database of stuff.
Eric: Yeah, that’s true. It could be a hundred similar things from other movies.
Andrew: Yeah. You know what I’m saying.
Astronomy Tower
Matt: Hey, I know we don’t have it written down to talk about it, but I was just looking through it and what do you guys think about the aerial shot of the Astronomy Tower?
Andrew: What’s the time code? Time code please.
Matt: Time code: 34.
Andrew: 34.
Matt: 34 seconds.
Andrew: Oh yeah, and you can see Dumbledore up there.
Matt: Yeah, and you can see the telescope.
Andrew: Oh my God, that’s so sad. That’s a long fall. That’s a long fall.
[Eric laughs]
Andrew: No, because in the book does it look, do you picture it that high up?
Matt: Well when I read the book it didn’t look that high. All I saw were words.
Andrew: It is so high up. I never even realized that. Sorry, I just had to…
Micah: If it’s any consolation he was already dead before he fell.
Andrew: Yeah, but its still, it’s still – but it’s still quite terrible.
Matt: It’s still pretty high.
[Andrew and Matt laugh]
Andrew: That’s like saying, his body went in the lawnmower, but he was dead before it happened so who cares? Bad analogy?
Eric: There’s a good view of the Hogwarts front gates right after that view of the Astronomy Tower.
Andrew: Yeah, which is odd because…
Matt: Well after you can see a little bit of the river and the lake.
Andrew: We need time codes guys.
Eric: 35 seconds.
Andrew: Matt, 35 seconds?
Matt: Yeah.
Eric: Right after the Astronomy Tower. Time stamp.
MuggleCast 171 Transcript (continued)
The Front Gates
Andrew: Right. So there’s Harry and Luna walking in, and we’ve never seen those gates before. Or did we see them in Order of the Phoenix?
Matt: Yeah, those are the front gates.
Andrew: Yeah, but have we seen those front gates before?
Eric: No, we haven’t.
Matt: No, we have not.
Andrew: Well, okay, that’s something new. And then there’s like a little…
Matt: That’s been in the previous trailers.
Andrew: Yeah, you’re right, but we’ve never talked about it being the first – in there.
Matt: I do like that they’re introducing it because they do talk about it a lot in the last book. The gargoyles.
Andrew: Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And they’ve got to start getting that outer perimeter of Hogwarts in these shots because there’s so much going on outside of Hogwarts now. Like the final battle.
Eric: Exactly.
Andrew: In DH.
Matt: Yeah.
Eric: That’s a good point.
Andrew: Did you see a lot of the outsides, Eric?
Eric: There’s some at the, you know, when they first go to Hogwarts. I’m not sure during the year but then afterwards when Harry chases Snape and whoever out of the – Hogwarts there’s obviously some there too. There’s also a bit of the Unbreakable Vow, you see Narcissa…
Andrew: Right.
Eric: In this trailer.
Andrew: Right.
[Matt says something unintelligible]
Andrew: What did you say, Micah?
Micah: I didn’t.
Narcissa
Andrew: Oh. Sorry. But yeah, Narcissa is in here and a picture I’m going to put up on the Ustream chat. But she’s crying! She’s shedding a tear. She looks at her ring first. And then she looks up at Snape and is like, “Wah, wah.”
Matt: I don’t think she does that.
Andrew: No. Well, she may in the actual film.
Eric: Don’t hold your breath.
[Andrew and Micah laugh]
Andrew: I like how Eric is like the know-it-all so he keeps like giving us all these hints and stuff.
Eric: Well, actually guys, that’s kind of why I was like – I wasn’t sure if I was going to sit this episode out because I didn’t want it to be too much of the same thing where you guys are all like, “Hm. New trailer. Well, what do we think about it? Let’s just ask Eric if it’s actually in the film this way.”
Andrew: I’m – I was just kidding though, we appreciate your input.
Ben: It’s – how does it feel to have knowledge that…
[Andrew laughs]
Ben: Only you have?
Eric: Guys, I’m going to stress that I don’t think this is the same film. I mean, I – there are parts…
Andrew: [laughs] What do you mean?
Eric: I saw a very primitive cut of the film! I really did!
Andrew: Oh. Okay.
Eric: I’m just as excited to see the new thing as you guys.
Andrew: Well, that’s good.
Eric: So.
Andrew: Some people in the chat are saying Narcissa doesn’t look pretty enough but I disagree with that. I think she looks quite stunning. Wouldn’t you agree, Ben?
Matt: It seems like that’s a very common issue when we see new characters; they’re not pretty enough.
Andrew: Yeah, everyone’s critical of their look, are they?
Matt: Yeah.
Eric: Well, she’s kind of a brunette, which is my issue with it. She’s got like that brownish – I don’t know if it’s a bun or a hat or what.
Andrew: Yeah. I can’t…
Eric: It’s in the promo pictures too. It’s not all blonde hair and they needed to distinguish her from Paris Hilton wig-wearing…
Andrew: [laughs] Right. It is pretty cool there – it is pretty cool though. I like her.
Matt: Mm. And it’s very easy to say in a book that a character is pretty, but actually to find a good enough actress to play the character and be pretty enough for everybody to agree on…
Eric: You’re saying they’ll settle, Matt?
Matt: Yeah. Exactly.
Ben: I kind of have a thing for McGonagall.
Andrew: You have a thing for McGonagall?
Ben: Yeah, I’ve moved on from Emma.
[Andrew and Matt laugh]
Andrew: You’re going for the older ladies?
Ben: Yeah, Emma just can’t make up her mind.
[Andrew and Matt laugh]
Ben: Though, older women, they know what they want.
Andrew: Right. Right. They’re decided, they’re set. So can you…
Micah: You should take a look at Mrs. Granger though, Ben, who was just cast.
Andrew: Yeah, did you see her picture?
Ben: I actually didn’t take a look at her – is she a babe?
[Andrew and Micah laugh]
Eric: We’re going to have to talk about that on the show like…
Ben: What?
Eric: As a secondary news item. We could do that.
Ben: What are you talking about?
Andrew: Well, there…
Eric: Check the site. You know, that one site you work for.
Andrew: Hermione Granger’s mom was cast yesterday. Or was it someone else?
Ben: Oh yeah, I got the text.
Ginny Playing Quidditch
Andrew: Yeah, okay. I should just noticed this, too, and I don’t know if this is in the notes but Matt – oh yeah, you did – the Quidditch with Ginny. That’s the first time seeing her in her Quidditch outfit. She looks cute.
Eric: Mm, time stamp?
Andrew: I don’t have a time stamp – I have a picture.
Eric: Yeah, well, time stamp?
Andrew: Matt, do you have a time stamp? Time stamp? Time time stamp? It’s a shot of the, you know, it’s the Quidditch Pitch. I’m going to put it up right now for Ustream listeners.
Eric: Quidditch?
Andrew: It’s nothing that special, but, you know, it’s something.
Matt: Mhm.
The Room With Animal Heads
Andrew: So there it is for Ustream listeners. And what else have we got here? Harry was in a room with animal heads on the wall. Matt, what were you talking about with this? I don’t think – oh! I see. What was that? Do you guys know what he’s talking about?
Micah: Yeah, I do.
Andrew: What was…
Micah: At the very end of the trailer before it switches over to the title of the movie, when Dumbledore is talking to Harry.
Andrew: Oh, yeah.
Micah: They did it just right. It looks like there’s some antlers on the wall behind them.
Andrew: Yeah.
Micah: I don’t know if they cut two different scenes there because I don’t think that where Dumbledore is talking to him is actually the same place where they show Harry. If that makes sense. If you know what I’m saying.
Andrew: Yeah.
Micah: If you get what I’m saying. They converged two scenes together.
Andrew: Yeah. Yeah, they did.
Matt: Mm.
Andrew: Plus, he’s wearing a jacket – like, why would Harry be wearing that jacket outside?
Matt: Yeah, well, yeah, a jacket’s stupid. Why would he be wearing it? I mean, it’s not like it’s cold outside.
Andrew: You know what I’m saying though. He’s got a, I mean – actually, I don’t know. It is just kind of weird, maybe they went to the range or the – what are those places called? The VW outhouse or something?
Matt: The Hog’s Head?
Andrew: No – oh maybe it is the Hog’s Head, good point. I was trying to make a realistic connection to it, but perhaps not.
Eric: The end of my trailer lags. I don’t actually see it.
End of Trailer
Andrew: But yeah and then there was that, it was a really somber, eerie transition where it goes from that shot of Harry to that slow fade to the title.
Matt: Yeah that was like the first time they’ve ever done something like that.
Andrew: Yeah it is. And it’s just eerie. It’s just…
Matt: It is me or – oh sorry, what?
Andrew: Go ahead.
Matt: Oh, I was just going to say, is it me, like right as they transition to the title at the end of the trailer, doesn’t it look like the Prisoner of Azkaban clouds and stuff?
Andrew: Yeah sort of.
Eric: You caught them.
Matt: I did it, I did it.
[Andrew laughs]
Andrew: WB is snapping their fingers, “Darn! They got us! We used the same clouds!”
Matt: Gosh!
The Burrow
Andrew: What other new shots? I mean you have that awesome shot again of Bellatrix doing that spin intro onto the Burrow and actually for the first time I think there’s that overhead shot of the Burrow. I’m trying to find it in the video right now.
Matt: Yeah it’s 1:23.
Andrew: 1:23 here we are. It’s a pretty cool shot of the Burrow and then there’s that – there’s that little outhouse right next to it and I think that’s where Dumbledore pulled Harry.
Matt: It’s a barn.
Andrew: The barn – right.
Matt: The outhouse. [laughs]
Andrew: You never know it could be an outhouse. Mr. Bob is on the job. And here’s a fun fact. I have a fun fact about the Burrow at least the movie version I don’t know if the book version is the same but in the movie version, inside the house – inside the house no two corners are set at a 90 degree angle. What do you think about that?
Matt: That’s amazing.
Andrew: I thought it was interesting.
Eric: That’s deep.
Andrew: And any other new sets, or shots, guys, before we open it up for questions from the audience?
Matt: Um…
Malfoy and the Vanishing Cabinet
Micah: Yeah Draco.
Matt: No.
Andrew: Oh yeah, Draco and the Vanishing Cabinet.
Matt: Oh.
Eric: That’s a really great scene.
Andrew: That’s a what?
Matt: I’m really upset thought they only shot .2 seconds of it
Andrew: Yeah it was really quick, but it came right after Narcissa which I thought was kind of telling in a way.
Matt: Mhm, kind of connection.
Andrew: Yeah, but Malfoy – I mean we did see a picture of Malfoy and the Vanishing Cabinet a long time ago. It was a crummy shot of it but there you have it again and – pretty cool, pretty cool I must say. Does anyone have any questions in the chat? If you just type them in the chat we will respond to them.
Matt: Well, why don’t we take callers?
Andrew: Because I don’t like taking calls. Hm, I said it.
Matt: Oh, okay.
Andrew: No, I’m just kidding. We’ll take calls.
Matt: Let’s just do it anyway.
Ben: Potato wedges are amazing!
Andrew: What?
[Micah laughs]
Matt: Potato wedges are amazing.
Andrew: Oh, Ben, you’ve lost your lust I must say.
Ben: What are you talking about?
Andrew: [laughs] I just – nothing.
Ben: My lust? Lust for what, Andrew?
Andrew: I don’t know. I don’t even know what that word means. I meant shine, I meant sparkle. Ben – we are going to take calls – but first Ben is going to get out of here because he has studying to do for a test tomorrow. So, Ben, I wish you luck. It’s finals week, right? Or midterms week?
Ben: Thank you.
Eric: Ben, you don’t study do you?
Ben: All right, I always study – I have been – this has been – see I can’t even talk anymore, that’s how much studying I’ve been doing.
Andrew: Study out loud.
Ben: Good week of school but the trailer’s awesome…
Andrew: Okay thanks, Ben.
Ben: …you’re awesome, Andrew is awesome…
Andrew: Thanks Ben, I know.
Ben: Make faces Andrew.
Andrew: All right.
Ben: Make a face for me. I’ll be watching.
Andrew: [laughs] Okay, you watch.
Eric: Ben, it was great to be on the same show as you again.
Andrew: All right, boys.
Ben: Yeah come over some time.
Andrew: All right, we’ll be seeing you Ben.
Ben: See you.
Andrew: All right, bye. Freaking dork. Sorry about that. Oh were we live? Did I say that out loud? I’m sorry.
Eric: You kiss your mother with that mouth?
Andrew: [laughs] Anyway!
Matt: Yes he does.
Call: Reaction to Dark Theme
Andrew: Yes I do. We’re going to take some telephone-o calls now. I just want to remind everyone before it crashed no shout outs, no silly things, none of that, and have a question prepared and mute your stream and all that jazz. Okay, first of all we’re going to take a call from Cindy. Hi Cindy, you’re on MuggleCast Live, good evening. Hi Cindy.
Caller: Hello?
Andrew: Hey!
Matt: Hi.
Caller: Oh hey!
Andrew: Welcome to MuggleCast Live.
Matt: Oh hey, what’s going on?
Caller: I’ll ask my mom to turn off the news, I think.
Andrew: Oh, no problem. Anyway, what’s your question, and how are you?
Caller: I’m good. I actually sent you – well, you were asking for reactions to the trailer, so I sent one in earlier.
Andrew: Oh sweet! What’s your name?
Caller: Yeah. Cindy, but my e-mail’s Cindy_Val. And it’s not quite a reaction because the video didn’t tape, so it’s just me talking about it.
Andrew: Oh, okay. Well, yeah, we’re going to be posting reaction videos on MuggleNet.com later tonight so everyone can see everyone’s reactions. Those are always fun. So, Cindy, what did you think of the trailer?
Caller: I actually really liked it, which seems to kind of be in a minority.
Andrew: No, I don’t think so. I enjoyed it too, and I was reading the comments on MuggleNet, and everyone – some people were saying “Best trailer yet,” such and such. Why do you think it was the best trailer?
Caller: Well, I don’t know if it’s necessarily the best, but I just…
Andrew: Oh, you really liked it. Sorry. [laughs]
Caller: Yeah. I really like seeing the dark parts of it because the trailers up until this point were – all about the comedy side of it…
Andrew: Right.
Caller: And – yeah. I just kind of thought that that was starting to get really overplayed.
Andrew: Yeah.
Matt: Mhm.
Andrew: And I agree. And like I said earlier, it was kind of ironic that – [coughs] excuse me – that they had a – you know, they were sort of hyping up the fun, and they were hyping the laugh with this one and then this is like the darkest trailer we’ve seen yet.
Matt: Mhm.
Caller: Yeah, and I think that’s important because despite the whole conversation about “Oh, this is the one with all the romance and you know…”
Andrew: Right.
Caller: “The fun and it’s funny,” there’s a lot of darkness in Half-Blood Prince and it obviously has to be part of the movie.
Andrew: Yeah. Absolutely.
Caller: So, it was actually kind of a relief, but basically the topic I kind of had was, if you watch my video, I basically talk about just how confused I am about the darkness of this trailer in contrast to the PG rating.
Andrew: Yeah. I don’t know. Well, what did you discuss? What did you think about that?
Caller: Well, it just – it seemed odd to me because – granted, it’s only a trailer, so you’re only seeing a part of it.
Andrew: Right.
Caller: So you’re not – it’s hard to determine how this is distributed throughout the movie, but it certainly seems that it has the potential to be as dark as Goblet of Fire, Order of the Phoenix, or maybe even darker.
Andrew: Yeah, definitely.
Caller: I mean, you look at the – yeah, you look at the time stamp is around 28 seconds where Harry falls into the water with all the Inferi around. I mean, the whole concept of that is extremely disturbing. Like…
Andrew: Yeah.
Caller: He’s surrounded by dead bodies.
Andrew: Yeah. It’s really – it makes you wonder. And actually, as a follow up, a lot of people suggested that we see – what’s it called now, Matt? Oh, This Film Is Not Yet Rated. It’s a documentary on the MPAA, and I mentioned that we saw it a couple weeks ago, and yeah, it’s just – these guys, they’re not professional raters. They don’t know what they’re doing. So really, I think my official stance on that – on the rating at this point is that the rating means nothing.
Matt: Mhm.
Andrew: I mean, it…
Matt: Well, what I’ve got to say about…
Caller: It’s really…
Andrew: Go ahead, Matt.
Matt: Yeah. Well, I think, honestly, this trailer – the reason why it was darker than the other ones, because I think it was just trying to play a balancing act with the other trailers that were too happy.
Andrew: Right.
Matt: I really – I mean, why couldn’t they just have a well-balanced trailer that has the darkness, and maybe a little comedy, and then that’s it.
Andrew: I don’t know.
Matt: I mean, it doesn’t have to be all one thing and then has to be completely like, “Emo, I’m going to suicide myself.”
Andrew: No. Don’t say that.
Eric: I don’t think this trailer was that dark.
Andrew: Yeah.
Eric: I just think it, you know, in comparison to the other trailers, it’s darker, so much of that part where it’s relieving.
Caller: Yeah. Well, it definitely was a relief to me. I think the reason I felt it was so dark was that if you really start to think about the things that are playing, it kind of brings you back the book.
Andrew: Yeah.
Eric: Absolutely.
Caller: So, the whole reminding you of Dumbledore dying, just the overall creepiness, especially the Inferi really creep me out. I mean, I think that’s, for me, where the darkness of the trailer comes from.
Andrew: Yeah. I agree. Well, thanks…
Eric: I think it’s…
Andrew: Go ahead, Eric.
Eric: Oh, sorry. Can I say one final thing?
Andrew: Yeah, yeah. Please.
Eric: I think it’s safe to say at this point, because they hyped up all the humorous parts, and we’ve seen trailer after trailer of funny, comedic stuff, that when I saw the part of the film that I saw, I thought that it was actually darker than it was humorous. There was almost too much darkness and not enough humor, so it’s a bit interesting that the trailers have come off this way…
Andrew: I think…
Eric: …and that the movie is being marketed as so funny. And obviously with the PG rating it can’t be that dark, but…
Andrew: Well – and plus, they have so much time now to fill with these trailers that – and I sort of thought they may be doing this – just release different trailers with different themes. And maybe we’ll get one more that’s all about, “La, la, la, Hogwarts is so fun, blah, blah, blah,” and all the jokes and all that. Maybe we’ll get different-themed trailers.
[Prolonged silence]
Andrew: Nobody agrees with me. [laughs]
Eric: Yeah, maybe.
Caller: Yeah, well…
Andrew: No, it’s…
Caller: I don’t know that themed trailers are really a good way to go. Because they don’t really encompass the entirety of emotion in a movie. And if you only see one trailer compared to another, I don’t know that you’re really going to get the entire scope of the movie if they’re claiming that this movie is the most balanced yet.
Andrew: Yeah, that’s true. Good point.
[Starts to cut out]
Eric: Cindy!
Andrew: Well, thank you for calling in, Cindy.
Eric: Something is happening.
Caller: Yeah.
Andrew: It was wonderful having you on.
Caller: Thank you.
Andrew: Where are you at, by the way? What’s your location?
Caller: I am from Seattle.
Andrew: Oh, Seattle. Very nice.
Caller: Yeah. Are you guys coming to Seattle anytime soon?
Andrew: No. [laughs]
Matt: I’m going next week, actually.
Andrew: No, no, you’re talking about a live show. I don’t think so. So, sorry.
Caller: Oh.
Eric: Have you read the Twilight series?
Caller: I have.
Eric: Living in Seattle, have you read Twilight? Did you like them?
Caller: [laughs] I have read Twilight, I’ve never been to Forks.
Andrew: Oh, you traitor.
Eric: You’ve never been to Forks and it’s like twenty minutes away?
Caller: Nope.
Andrew: Okay, we can’t have Twilight discussion or this is – or people are not going to like it.
Eric: Okay, okay – right. Well, I brought it up.
Andrew: I know.
Eric: Just put it on me.
Andrew: [laughs] All right, well thanks, Cindy, for calling in.
Caller: All right. Thank you.
Andrew: No problem, bye. Cindy from Seattle. Cindy from Seattle. Micah, are you happy now, I’m asking for their locations?
Micah: Yeah – well, that’s what you should do.
Call: Luna Seeing or Not Seeing Harry
Andrew: I know, I’m just kidding. I’m just messing with you. All right, another call here. This is Ah-drianna. Hey, Ay-drianna, Ah-drianna, Ay-drianna.
Caller: Oh, hey guys!
Andrew: Hey! Mute your stream, please.
Matt: Oh, hey!
Caller: Hey!
Andrew: How are you?
Caller: I’m good, how are you?
Andrew: Good, thanks. You live in Los Angeles, correct? Or somewhere…
Caller: Yes, I do. I baked you guys the apple cookies.
Andrew: Yes! Ah, they were so good!
[Adrianna laughs]
Matt: Ah! And John Noe ate them all.
[Andrew and Matt laugh]
Andrew: Hey, when we do another live show for Twilight – I’m sorry this is off topic – but the release party thing – you’re going to be coming, right?
Caller: Yeah! [laughs]
Andrew: Okay, good. Can you bake more cookies, please?
Caller: Of course!
Andrew: [laughs] Okay.
Eric: Okay, now we’re talking about cookies. I don’t know which is worse.
Andrew: [laughs] Okay, well off Twilight, off Twilight. What did you think of the trailer?
Eric: Thanks for not baking me cookies. You know, whatever.
Andrew: We were doing a podcast.
Matt: You live in Chicago, Eric.
Eric: Sure, sure.
Andrew: Anyway.
Micah: He’s kidding.
Andrew: What did you think of the trailer Adrianna?
Caller: I really like the trailer. I don’t think it’s the best one, but it was really good.
Andrew: Did anything stand out for you in particular, perhaps?
Caller: Well, yeah. Going back to that ring around Harry, or whatever – like, was it just the reflection of her glasses, or was it actually something there – like, really there?
Andrew: Sorry, what are you talking about?
Caller: When it shows Luna looking at Harry.
Andrew: Oh. Well, I don’t know, that’s a big question. And Eric, you disappeared when we were talking about this. What’s the explanation? There’s Nargles around his head – okay, we get that – but does Luna actually – just tell us. I can’t wait until July. Does – can Luna actually see her – him?
Eric: I don’t know. I don’t know how they’re doing it.
Andrew: Oh.
Caller: Well, anyways, did you guys…
Eric: Although I think that ring that Adrianna is mentioning, the ring of – I think its diamonds or something – it’s kind of circular…
Caller: Yeah.
Eric: I think that is actually more being viewed more through her glasses, than what her glasses – like what she’s seeing. I think it’s something else that her glasses are doing.
Andrew: It’s sort of like looking through a kaleidoscope, like I said earlier.
Eric: Exactly. It’s got that look. So I don’t think that – that the ring of diamonds is what’s actually there. There are little – kind of like lightning bug sort of things around his head that I think are actually there, that only they can see. But then theres also the inner-workings of her glasses. It’s a bit confusing, but you understand it when you see it.
Andrew: Right.
Caller: Oh, okay.
Matt: Yeah, I think it may be just be an illusion, that your eyes are playing tricks on you, like it’s moving, maybe.
Andrew: Yeah. It will probably be – hopefully it’ll be sort of classic Luna funny, how she discovers him. It will be funny if she just tripped right over him. Is that what happens, Eric?
Eric: Let’s not forget, too, though, that scene is immediately following the Draco-Harry scene on the train, which is – I’m so happy they haven’t spoiled that in a trailer yet or too early.
Andrew: Yeah.
Caller: Yeah I’m glad they haven’t given away a lot of the scenes. Like, when we go to the movie, we’ll be surprised and it won’t be like, “Oh, I’ve seen this already.”
Andrew: Right.
Eric: Well, they’ve shown a lot. They have shown a lot. I mean, just clips though. I mean, no real dialogue, like actual scenes, with the exception of Ron under the love potion – under the love spell, but that is actually something that you have to…
Caller: Yeah, but…
Eric: Sorry?
Caller: Oh, sorry, go ahead.
Eric: I was going to say that you actually have to watch…
Micah: I had a question, Eric.
Eric: Because Rupert has a really good – Rupert does a really good job in that scene, and the trailer – no trailer could do it justice. Sorry, Micah.
Andrew: What’s your question, Micah?
Tonks
Micah: Well I had a question for you, off of what Adrianna said. And that is, Tonks was in this movie, correct? Or was she not?
Caller: That’s was what I was just about to ask.
Micah: Because if she was, then there’s no reason why they needed to use Luna in that scene. The only reason that I could think of would be to sort of solidify…
Matt: Well Tonks is in the movie. She’s at the Burrow.
Micah: So why not have…
Eric: No, she’s in the movie Micah, but the – because it’s a bit…
Micah: Her stationed…
Eric: Because they’re not going to have Tonks stationed at Hogwarts. They – that subplot where it’s all weird, and Harry doesn’t know what Tonks is thinking, and he knows she’s upset but he thinks it’s about Sirius, and it turns out in the end that it’s about a werewolf, and it’s about Lupin, and this and that. Tonks isn’t stationed at Hogwarts this year, is the only…
Matt: Yeah.
Eric: …thing that is cut out. That’s why she doesn’t find him on the train is because she’s nowhere near it. She’s in the movie at the Burrow with Lupin but not around Hogwarts lurking in the corridors, changing Patronuses…
Matt: And isn’t…
Eric: Being all depressed.
Matt: Isn’t Tonks and Lupin already sort of together anyway, it’s just sort of implied that they’re together?
Eric: I don’t know. There’s a scene at – Lupin and Tonks don’t get too much screen time, but they are in the movie, and they are close in proximity.
Caller: Well, couldn’t – I mean, they didn’t – they could have used Tonks without explaining the whole Sirius-Lupin storyline.
Andrew: Yeah. No, they don’t really need it, but you’ve got to keep the fans happy.
Matt: Uh-huh.
Eric: Gives Luna more screen time. Evanna Lynch is just so awesome as Luna.
Andrew: Yeah.
Caller: Yeah, she is.
Andrew: Who can complain? Anyway, thanks Adrianna for calling in, and we’ll see you soon.
Caller: And I’m so excited for Azkatraz…
Andrew: Woohoo!
Caller: The night screening.
Andrew: Oh my god!
Matt: Woo!
Andrew: It’s going to be awesome.
Caller: It’s going to be so much fun. It’s my first convention.
Andrew: Aw, how exciting. All right.
Caller: I know.
Matt: Aw.
Andrew: It’s going to be one not to miss. HP2009.org, and refer – when you register, put MuggleNet or MuggleCast in the referral area. As you’ll hear on Episode 172, we appreciate everyone signing up. Anyway, thanks Adrianna.
Matt: Uh-huh.
Caller: Sure!
Andrew: Bye-bye.
Caller: Bye!
Matt: Bye.
Call: The Gate
Andrew: All right, we’re going to take land line calls only for now, and actually there’s one coming from England, so I’m going to take it right away. [in an English accent] Hello, caller from England. Chip-chip, hello.
Caller: Hi.
Andrew: Hey, how are you?
Matt: Hey!
Caller: I’m quite good. I’m quite surprised I got answered, to be honest.
Andrew: [laughs] Well, I saw your U.K. number, and we don’t get many UKalls anymore, so…
Caller: It’s 3:00 A.M.
Matt: Oh that’s very clever.
Caller: It’s three o’clock in the morning.
Andrew: Aw, that’s – that could be one reason. [laughs] Well, thanks for staying up late to listen. What’s on your mind?
Caller: It’s – I think it’s at 39 seconds, where they’re walking out because it’s some big gate, and I was wondering if it was the Riddle House.
Andrew: I don’t think it’s the Riddle House. It’s the entrance to Hogwarts. Is that what we’re in agreement with?
Eric: Yeah.
Caller: Ah, yeah.
Andrew: Because it’s – and then, what’s that group of people down there, by the way? Are they just all coming off the boats or something, and they’re – or…
Eric: You mean the people at the other end – at the other side of the gates?
Andrew: Right.
Eric: You really want to know?
Andrew: Well, kind of, because why would they all stop there?
Eric: Yeah. No, it’s just the regular gate check sort of security. They have a few teachers there.
Andrew: Seriously? There’s baggage-claim-check-thing?
Matt: There – there’s always baggage-claim-check. It was in the book.
Andrew: Oh.
Eric: Security’s tightened.
Andrew: I forget this. This is why I’m re-reading the book. That’s…
Eric: Well, because they haven’t had it in the previous movies too, is the thing. So it’s a bit awkward to see it in this movie because suddenly it’s – suddenly you’re seeing all these things that were in the books that have never been translated in movies before, but they’re suddenly being a lot truer to the characters in the book and the events.
Andrew: Yeah.
Eric: So it’s a bit confusing.
Andrew: Harry looks like…
Eric: Off-putting. I can see where the confusion…
Andrew: Harry looks like he’s carrying a bowling bag. Sort of, it’s that same shape.
Matt: It’s called a suitcase.
Andrew: All right. It looks like the shape of a bowling bag.
Eric: It’s got Hedwig in it.
Andrew: What’s your name, caller?
Caller: Adam.
Andrew: Adam. And where are you in England, specifically?
Caller: I’m in County Durham actually, same place as Jamie.
Andrew: Oh, Durham. Do you go to Durham University? Or…
Caller: No, I don’t.
Andrew: Oh, okay.
Caller: Only the name.
Andrew: Durham’s a very nice town. Or, county.
[Caller laughs]
Andrew: Yeah, well – go ahead.
MuggleCast 171 Transcript (continued)
Narcissa Malfoy
Caller: I was actually about to ask about Narcissa Malfoy.
Andrew: Yeah.
Matt: Mhm.
Caller: Because I thought she would be a lot more – like, thinner features and, like – it sounds picky, but a lot more posh, if that makes sense.
Matt: Yeah! No, I agree. Because in the book it does say that she’s very skinny, and she has a very pointy nose. And…
Caller: Yeah, the other is that when you look at her, it’s just like – not like that, originally.
Andrew: [laughs] Well, I mean, maybe bony is another way to describe it. Or is that…
Matt: She has – well, no, she’s more fuller in the film. She does seem – yeah, she’s described as – almost posh and snooty, like Adam said.
Eric: Yeah, in everything from the features to the mindset. If you remember guys, Helen McCrory, who’s playing Narcissa, was originally thought of to be cast as Bellatrix.
Andrew: Right.
Eric: But I believe Helen McCrory became pregnant, and was unable to do the role of Bellatrix, which then went to Helena Bonham Carter. So I don’t know what the story is with that, but they wanted to give her a role, and they gave her Narcissa. But of course – I’m not saying that Helena Bonham Carter wouldn’t be better as Narcissa, because I’m not saying that at all, but I do agree that maybe – that Narcissa would look different – or the book Narcissa that I imagine, looks different then Helen McCrory.
Andrew: Yeah. I mean – yeah, and then you’ve got to argue – I mean, I see what you guys are saying, but I think she still looks great as a Narcissa, and…
Matt: No, she looks great. I mean, she’s just – I mean, we’re just going off of what Adam said. And he’s just – it’s right.
Andrew: Yeah. Well, I agree.
Eric: It works, but it’s our job to discuss this kind of stuff.
Matt: Yeah, and we analyze.
Andrew: And pick at it for 30 minutes to fill up time.
Matt: Yes.
Andrew: Well, thanks Adam for calling in, and thanks again for staying up late in Durham to talk with us.
Caller: Thats all right. Cheers. Thanks for answering.
Andrew: All right, no problem.
Matt: Cheers.
Caller: Goodnight.
Andrew: Goodnight. Shame on me for mocking him.
Matt: Yeah. I’m going to slap you.
Andrew: [laughs] Anyway, we are still taking calls, but right now we’re talking to people on the land lines because we’re paying for the numbers, so hell! Let’s use them.
Matt: Yeah!
Casting of Mrs. Granger
Andrew: And – I mean – buh-buh-buh! Let me – [laughs] – let me also mention – Lucas brought this up to me, one of our chat mods – that we are talking about anything related to Half-Blood Prince. I guess we can talk about some other stuff too, but you can call in and ask a question about anything related to Harry Potter. So, feel free to do so. Eric, I guess we talked about it on the show we recorded yesterday, but we did bring up the casting of Ms. Granger. Eric, what do you think about that? Do you think it’s a bad call, good call, what call?
Eric: I love it on the grounds that that scene is not in Book 7. So it seems like now that they’ve split the movie into two, they have all this – not extra time, but they have the ability, or the enthusiasm, to do something like cast Mrs. Granger, who Hermione just off-handily says she sent her parents to Australia. They think that they’re…
Andrew: Right.
Eric: These alternate identities. The fact that they cast her, and that it was this big deal, was really awesome, because I can’t wait to see – maybe they’ll even show Hermione doing it, or at one point they’ll show her parents, obviously. So I’m just excited. Raw enthusiasm and raw excitement, that’s what I have from reading that article.
Andrew: Well yeah. And I think – my theory is that they’re going to – like, when Hermione’s explaining it to Harry and Ron, what she did, it’ll cut over to a B-roll of her being like, “Oh, yeah,” of sending her parents off to Australia. Perhaps?
Matt: Yeah, I hope – yeah.
Andrew: [laughs] Okay. Well, no more landline calls are coming in, so I assume that the landline phone is broken once more, which tends to happen when…
Eric: Kind of like Libsyn, huh? You pay for it, but it just doesn’t…
Call: Overall Good Reaction to Trailer
Andrew: No, it works when you’re not having a gazillion people hammer it. Okay, so let’s take another caller now. Hello, caller! You’re on MuggleCast Live! Good Thursday evening to you.
Caller: Hey! Can you hear me?
Andrew: Yeah, what’s your name? Where’re you from?
Caller: My name’s Antoine. I’m from Los Angeles, California.
Andrew: Sweet. People are going to start, “Andrew, you’re only picking up calls from Los Angeles!”
[Antoine laughs]
Andrew: It’s because I live there! Anyway, what’s going on?
Eric: Well, you are.
Andrew: I have no way of determining what the location of the caller is.
Eric: Except the area code.
Andrew: No, these are Skype calls.
Eric: I see.
Andrew: “Yeah, hold on. Let me look up your area code real quick before I take your call.” Anyway, what’s your question, Antoine?
Caller: Well, the first time I saw the trailer, I was a bit underwhelmed, but I saw – I watched it over and over like I usually do, and the cinematography in this film, this Harry Potter film, is the best. It’s the most beautifully shot Harry Potter yet.
Andrew: I agree. Is it the same cinematographer, does anyone know the credits?
Caller: I think it’s a different guy.
Andrew: Is it?
Eric: Is it Mark Day?
Andrew: It’s – I don’t know. Could someone look that up real quick?
Matt: Yeah, I’m looking it up right now.
Eric: I met him. He’s a nice guy.
Andrew: But yeah, it really does look just beautiful. And as these films progress – and okay, Chris Columbus with the first two movies, they look kind of, “Eh, it’s kid’s movies, it’s kiddish.” They still had good shots, but I completely agree. They’ve started looking better and better.
Matt: Bruno Delbonnel.
Andrew: Okay, so it is a new guy.
Caller: I have no idea who that is.
Matt: Yeah, it is a new guy. He’s French.
Andrew: And we actually – kind of speaking of…
Matt: Oh, this explains it! He did Across the Universe.
Andrew: Really?
Caller: Oh, Across the Universe is awesome!
Andrew: That’s pretty cool! Yeah, that’s what they – they’ve got to keep doing that. Just bring on these really cool cinematographers. Get – who would be another cool guy?
Matt: Yeah!
Andrew: What’s another trippy movie? I just want trippy cinematographers.
Caller: Slumdog Millionaire?
Andrew: Slumdog – I haven’t seen that, but Slumdog Millionaire…
Eric: You haven’t seen it? It comes out on DVD on the 30th.
Matt: Honestly, I saw it last night for the whole thing. Not a fan.
Eric: Really?
Caller: Harry Potter! We are talking about Harry Potter!
Matt: I think it is overrated, but…
Andrew: I just know they go, “JAI-HO!” the whole time. Ha ha ha, man.
Caller: Also, the actual title, Half-Blood Prince, it seems like they’re trying to make it out as if – they’re trying to trick people as to think Voldemort is the Half-Blood Prince.
Andrew: You think so?
Caller: In keeping Snape a secret – because I remember when the book first came out, people used to speculate that Voldemort was the Half-Blood Prince.
Andrew: But how do you think – how do you think people are being led to believe that?
Caller: Well, because that’s the name of the movie, and there hasn’t been any indication of Half-Blood…
Andrew: Yeah.
Caller: And all people can think of is Voldemort, maybe? And because there’s all this story about him?
Matt: Well, in the trailer for Order of the Phoenix, did they ever say about the Order of the Phoenix?
Eric: I think what you’re saying is there’s not – I mean, they could make this trailer about the book Harry finds. They could have an overshot of Harry, [in a British accent] “Oh, Ron! I found this book! And it’s Half-Blood Prince, what’s this?” And all of a sudden he’s doing great in Potions and girls are loving him. They could totally make it that kind, but they’re focusing on the fact that this is Voldemort’s backstory, which I can see where that could be a little bit confusing or misleading. But even the book…
Andrew: The book doesn’t talk about – yeah, exactly.
Eric: Didn’t really have a whole lot to do with the Half-Blood Prince. Only at the very, very end, after the climax of the book, we find out who the Half-Blood Prince is. It’s not really that driving of the story in itself, either.
Matt: There really is no actual central story for this book. I mean, there are so many twists – there are so many subplots in this book, especially.
Eric: It’s plot advancement.
Matt: It would be really hard to put that in a trailer. They would have to only hit one aspect of it.
Andrew: Yeah, and I do remember when Half-Blood Prince came out, a lot of people where speculating, “Well, why was it called Half-Blood Prince, if…” You know. That’s a good question for Jo. And by the way, back to the cinematographer thing, Eduardo Serra will be directing Deathly Hallows. That was announced back on Valentine’s Day, actually. And he’s directed Defiance, Blood Diamond. I don’t see anything else here that would stand out to anyone. But yes, he is directing parts one and two of Deathly Hallows. I hope…
Is John Williams Returning?
Eric: And we have John Williams composing again, right?
Andrew: That’s not confirmed yet is it? I don’t think so.
Eric: I thought it was.
Andrew: Is it Matt?
Caller: I thought Yates was doing the last two parts.
Andrew: Let’s look – why don’t we know this?
Caller: Remember The Giver? The whole thing about The Giver.
Andrew: What – what’s The Giver?
Caller: The movie that David Yates was supposed to do but then she said that he is doing the last two Harry Potter films.
Andrew: Right.
Matt: Andrew we talked about it with – Elysa and Laura on an episode.
Andrew: Oh okay.
Matt: But – John Williams has only stated that he wants to come back.
Andrew: That’s right.
Caller: He better do it. He’s awesome.
Eric: That’d be so cool, he’d have five films of stuff – of material to just…
Andrew: [laughs] Copy.
Eric: Take in.
Matt: No he could just do his own…
Eric: No to take in!
Andrew: Oh.
Eric: Right. But he created the series so I’m saying he could draw in anything that any of the number of other composers have done and make it into a unified theme so that it kind of feels like a whole unit.
Andrew: Go ahead Micah.
Micah: No, I just wanted to clear up what you just said…
Andrew: Speak up, you’re low. You’re low.
Micah: You mentioned directed – I think you were talking about directing the cinematography.
Andrew: That’s what I meant. Yeah, sorry – if I said something otherwise.
Matt: Yeah, you said a new director.
Andrew: Oh no, no, no! No. Come on guys. Don’t you think you ought’ve known that? I’m sorry, it’s my fault.
[Matt laughs]
Andrew: Director of cinematography.
Matt: Oh!
David Yates Sticking Around
Andrew: That’s – yeah. Yeah. No, David Yates quit, he – he decided to go for The Giver.
Caller: Right, like he would do that.
Andrew: [laughs] You know what’s still funny? And I said this on a million MuggleCast episodes before, but this is the first time since Chris Columbus we’re having a director direct two films – or more than two films. And I think it’s going to be…
Caller: It has been three.
Andrew: Yeah. Or four technically. So I’m personally so excited to see how he makes – changes and evolves through the films. I hope there is actually a really good difference.
Caller: Definitely gotten better.
Eric: There is a progession.
Caller: Thats true.
Eric: There is a progression. There is absolutely…
Caller: You can already tell.
Eric: Yeah.
Caller: In the trailers you can tell he’s gotten better with his craft.
Andrew: Yeah. All right, well – Antoine thanks for calling in.
Caller: No problem.
Andrew: And thanks for staying up with us although you’re in LA so it’s not…
Caller: I’m in LA so yeah, it’s two.
Andrew: Are you actually in LA?
Caller: I’m actually in LA by Korea town.
Andrew: Nice, nice, Korea town.
Eric: Okay. [laughs]
Andrew: Alright dude.
Caller: Peace out.
Andrew, Eric and Matt: Bye.
Andrew: There’s an example of a good caller for anyone calling in and wondering how they can be a good caller. Speaks well, good Skype quality, yada yada.
Eric: Happens to be Andrew’s neighbour.
Andrew: [laughs] He’s not my neighbour, I’m not in LA.
[Eric and Matt laughs]
Call: Zip Likes the Trailer
Andrew: All right – let’s take another caller now. This is Zip. Hi Zip.
Caller: Oh, hi.
Andrew: You’re on MuggleCast Live, how are you?
Caller: Oh, good thanks.
Andrew: Good.
Caller: Hi.
Andrew: Hi.
Caller: I’ve never been on the show before.
Andrew: Oh, well, welcome to the show.
Caller: Kind of freaked out.
Micah: Neither have I.
Andrew: Is your name actually Zip?
Caller: Oh, no that’s my nickname.
Andrew: Oh, can I ask your real name, or are your parents going to sue me?
Caller: Yeah it’s Nora.
Andrew: Oh Nora, that’s a nice name.
Matt: Nora!
Andrew: So where are you calling from? Please don’t say anywhere in Southern California.
Caller: No, I’m actually calling from Rhode Island.
Andrew: Yes! All right Rhode Island, yeah! [laughs]
Caller: Yeah, I think I’m the only person here that listens to MuggleCast.
Andrew: That’s not true.
Eric: You sure you aren’t the only person there?
[Andrew laughs]
Matt: I don’t know, it’s a small state.
Caller: Maybe. Like nobody I know listens to MuggleCast.
Andrew: Oh well…
Caller: Sad.
Andrew: We actually – we actually have like ten listeners.
Caller: Oh.
Andrew: Yeah, everyone on Ustream thinks this is another one of Obama’s speeches.
Caller: Nice.
Andrew: Okay, anyway. What’s going on? I like your name Zip.
Caller: Zip.
Andrew: What’s going on Zip?
Caller: Yeah everyone in this chat is like, “Zip!”
[Andrew and Caller laugh]
Caller: Okay, well I saw the trailer. It’s awesome.
Andrew: Yes.
Caller: I loved it. I think it is the best one yet, honestly.
Andrew: Well good, there we go there is a good example. Why do you think it’s the best one yet?
Matt: Yeah. Why do you think that?
Caller: Well, I really liked the young Tom Riddle. He looks so scared opening the wardrobe. And then he – when he says that – there is a part where they’re like, “He’s never had a visitor.” And then he does this smile. But then he sees Dumbledore and he just looks completely evil.
Andrew: Yeah. It’s really cool. I just love it. I love their chemistry.
Caller: It’s awesome.
Matt: It’s spooky.
Andrew: Any other things that stood out for you?
Caller: Well I really like the Inferi. Like in the – the cave is going to be awesome.
Andrew: Yes. There was – it was so cool. And you wonder, why those things that they – the things that they’re on, the stone or whatever it looks like ice.
Caller: Yeah.
Andrew: Be funny if it melted.
Matt: In a cave.
Eric: Its Planet Krypton. It’d be funny if they changed the name.
Matt: Yeah it’s funny.
Caller: Yeah.
Andrew: All right, Zip, thanks for calling in with your thoughts. We’re glad to hear somebody thought it was the best trailer yet.
Caller: Thanks Andrew.
Andrew: No problem. Have a good night in Rhode Island, and trust me, there are listeners there. I’m sure you’ll find some eventually.
Caller: Okay.
Andrew: Look around, I’m sure there’s some people in the chat too. They’ll represent.
Caller: All right, people in the chat, say hi to me. I am watching you.
Andrew: If you live in Rhode Island. Don’t ask everyone to – oh, whatever, they’re all saying hi anyway. All right, well have a good night Zip.
Caller: All right, bye!
Andrew: Don’t you ever wish your parents named you something cool, like Zip?
Matt: Like a name?
Andrew: No, like Zip.
Eric: I’d settle for Nora, that’s a pretty cool name to me.
Andrew: It is a very cool name. The calls are coming in too fast. Stop, everyone stop.
[Matt says something unintelligible]
Andrew: Huh?
Matt: Would you rather nobody called?
Andrew: Well, I literally cannot answer a call right now, so yes. [laughs]
Micah: Can you hear me right now?
Andrew: Yeah, you’re kind of low though.
Micah: Better?
Call: Bellatrix at the Burrow
Andrew: Yes that’s better. It’s twenty after seven right now on the west coast, we’ll take just a couple more calls. Thanks everyone who’s been listening. There’s close to 700 people in here, we had well over 800 earlier. Oh here’s a caller who – see I miss these – hi Briana, you’re on MuggleCast live.
Caller: Hello?
Andrew: Hi.
Caller: Hi! Oh my gosh.
Andrew: Welcome to the show. You won the lottery.
Caller: Thank you. How much did I win?
Andrew: What’s your question?
Caller: Oh, I was just wondering what you guys thought about the whole when Bellatrix Apparates from the Burrow when it’s on fire, I think that’s just so cool.
Andrew: Yeah, it’s how she just sort of like spins and does a little dance thing?
Caller: Yeah and she kind of laughs.
Andrew: Yeah. She’s insane. There’s no other way to describe such a thing.
Caller: Oh, I know, and she just – Helena does such a good job playing her.
Andrew: Yeah. Well not – Helen.
Caller: It’s Helena right?
Andrew: For Bellatrix?
Caller: Yeah.
Andrew: Is it? I’m getting confused between her and Narcissa.
Eric: Helen McCrory plays Narcissa Malfoy.
Andrew: Yeah, thank you.
Caller: Bellatrix is Helena Bonham Carter.
Andrew: Yes, thank you. Sorry, I thought I was going crazy for a second.
Eric: Oh wait, that is confusing.
Caller: [laughs] I thought you were too.
Andrew: Well it is kind of crazy – confusing, because it’s like she was going to play her.
Caller: Yeah, that’s true.
Matt: What is confusing?
Andrew: What’s that?
Caller: I’m glad that she ended up getting the part.
Andrew: Yeah, exactly, yeah. Well thanks, Briana, where are you calling from, by the way?
Caller: I’m actually in Mexico right now.
Andrew: Oh Mexico. Are you on vacation?
Caller: No, actually I’ve lived here for seven months.
Andrew: You said “right now” as if – as if it was just temporary.
Caller: Well, I’m an exchange student, so it is temporary.
Andrew: Ah! Aha!
[Caller laughs]
Eric: What college do you go to in the States?
Caller: I actually am from Oregon, but I live in West Virginia, and I’m in high school.
Andrew: Oh nice.
Eric: That’s actually really cool, like mad props to you.
Caller: Thank you. [laughs]
Andrew: Yeah that’s pretty impressive.
Caller: I’ve been spreading MuggleCast love all through Mexico.
Andrew: Ah, good. What do they all say?
Caller: Well, they all like you guys, but all my friends are pretty much into Harry Potter too.
Andrew: Cool.
Caller: And like, the whole world speaks English.
Andrew: Well hopefully. I would go crazy if I had to speak Spanish down there.
Caller: Yeah [laughs]
Andrew: But speaking of MuggleCast and school, we get these emails – like particularly this year, I guess it’s new – there’s this book on new media, and there’s this section on podcasting, and they mention MuggleCast, and so every time somebody reads that chapter, they send us an email like, “Hey, you guys are in this book!” So, I was like…
Micah: Where are our royalties?
Andrew: They were just naming our show, it’s not like a – you know, an interview, or anything, but yes…
Caller: It just proves how awesome you guys are.
Andrew: [laughs] Well here’s a really funny story, and I showed this to Micah real quick. One time – related to this book – the same day, we got two emails from two different people, but they were both in the same state, they sent this the same day, and they said – they both said we had to read this chapter for our homework tonight, [laughs] and it mentioned MuggleCast. I was like, wow, there is two classmates who go to school together, who don’t even know each other are MuggleCast listeners.
Caller: That’s crazy.
Andrew: Yeah! I emailed them both back, and I said, “Hey, you have another friend in this class, because she listens to MuggleCast too.” and they both had different IP addresses, so I know that they weren’t making it up. So that was a funny story. Think it was in West Virgina, actually, so that was really funny.
Caller: That’s so cool though.
Andrew: Yeah definitely. Well, you have a good night in Mexico Briana.
Caller: You too.
Andrew: And continue to spread the love down there.
Caller: Oh I will, definitely. Love you guys.
Andrew: Alright, love you too. Bye.
Caller: Bye.
Andrew: All right, there we go. There’s Briana. And I hate to say it, thank you to everyone who’s calling in but literally, Skype has never had this problem before where I literally can’t pick up calls. I don’t – they’re just coming in way too fast so I think we’ll cease calls for tonight, plus we’ve been going for an hour and twenty minutes. Anyway, to wrap up the…
Micah: What about the Twitter?
Andrew: Ah, the Twitter questions? I haven’t actually taken those yet. [laughs]
Micah: Oh.
Twitter Question: Dumbledore’s Tone and MPAA Rating
Andrew: I didn’t even plug that. If anyone’s been sending in any questions via Twitter, do it now. Put the ‘@’ symbol MuggleCast and type your question and then we’ll answer them. I’ll look right now to see if there are any. Roxy says, “I think Dumbledore’s tone sounds distressed. He knows he what he must have to burden Harry with, even if he doesn’t want to.” That’s a really good point. That must be so hard for Dumbledore. Breakingfree111 says, “I just re-watched the trailer and there’s no MPAA rating at the end.” That’s kind of interesting. Maybe they’re trying to get it re-rated.
Matt: And also there’s no release date.
Andrew: Huh?
Matt: It doesn’t even have a release date.
Eric: It just says July.
Andrew: Oh, right. [laughs]
Matt: Are they going to delay it again?
Andrew: Uh well yeah, maybe they’re just leaving it open just in case.
Eric: No!
Andrew: Yeah, I don’t think so but I think that’s sort of like a formality. Like, you just write the month.
Matt: Yeah.
Eric: Because it’s still like a couple months away, you know?
Andrew: Yeah. Yeah, maybe they’re not sure. Maybe they’ll delay it a week. That’d be terrible. [laughs] That’d be terrible.
[Matt laughs]
Twitter Question: New Character
Andrew: Nicole3: “No, my stupid power is out so I can’t listen!” I’m sorry Nicole.
Eric: How are you Twittering?
Andrew: Well, she can do it on your phone. You can do it on your phone.
Eric: So, you can’t submit a question on your phone?
Andrew: You can.
Eric: Oh, but you can’t listen. Okay cool. Right. Fine. I get it.
Andrew: Sam Watchman, one of our mods, says, “There’s a shot of the locket at fifty three seconds, look at it and there’s also a new character two seconds before it.” I’m going to look, I think I know what he’s talking about. Yeah, that’s not a new character. That’s young Tom Riddle. I mean, that’s school Tom Riddle.
Matt: Mhm.
Andrew: Because you go from young Tom I think, right before that? Yeah.
Matt: Oh yeah, yeah it’s the transition from Tom Riddle to Voldemort.
Andrew: Yeah and that’s when Dumbledore says, “Voldemort” and then you see his head, which was kind of cool. Oh and then there’s a split second frame of Voldemort from Goblet of Fire I think that was, or Order of the Phoenix.
Matt: Yeah.
Andrew: The shot of him looking.
Eric: There’s no Ralph Fiennes in this movie. It’s all recycled…
Andrew: Yeah.
Eric: Images.
Andrew: Which is kind of sad, I must say. Kind of sad.
Eric: Indeed.
Recycled Flashes of Voldemort
Andrew: What other questions? Somebody said the quick flash of Voldemort looks new but it’s actually not, like we just said it’s from Voldemort – it’s from Order of the Phoenix.
Matt: Order of the Phoenix. Yeah, when he’s in the water.
Eric: If it’s not like what’s actually in there it’ll be like one of the other shots they have. Like, you know what I’m saying? Even if it didn’t make it into the final film it’ll be a picture, like a shot of him at an angle that we haven’t seen before specifically but no. It’s old footage anyway is what I’m saying.
Twitter: Options for Epilogue Scene
Andrew: Yeah. TabithaC says, “Wouldn’t it be cool if the actress that was cast for DH to play Hermione’s mom was really cast as Hermione in the future for that scene in the Epilogue?”
Matt: Well, that’s what I thought at first when they said they casted Miss Granger.
Andrew: That’s not a bad idea. Why didn’t anyone suggest that? You guys are all dumb. Thanks TabithaC. Hmmm?
Matt: Nothing.
Eric: Oh. Whoever found that is really clever. That is the locket. They show the locket.
Andrew: Oh yeah, Sam mentioned the locket too.
Eric: Yeah.
Matt: Is that the locket or is that the necklace that Katie Bell got?
Eric: No, it’s not the opal necklace. The opal necklace you can see in one of the promo pictures. It’s Snape and McGonagall in one of the captured pictures recently. This is the replacement locket from the end of the story.
Matt: Oh, okay.
Eric: They actually show – it’s very quick. It’s when little Voldemort’s turning into big Voldemort.
Twitter: Andrew’s Candle
Andrew: Somebody else on Twitter – kind of off topic – EmilyCatrell is asking what my candle that I have in the video smells like and it’s “Ocean Breeze.” It’s the beautiful ocean breeze.
Micah: Just open the window!
Matt: That’s my candle.
Andrew: [laughs] We’re not on the ocean! We’re like a half hour away. Why don’t you open the window Micah? There’s an – ocean near you too.
Micah: Yeah, three blocks away.
Andrew: Really? You’re that close?
Micah: Yeah.
Andrew: Is that the river or the…
Micah: So, if we get a hurricane I’m in real deep trouble.
Andrew: Yeah, because a hurricane will come up to New York City. My final last words.
Micah: It’s happened before.
Andrew: Yeah, but not like – big.
Matt: Mmmm.
Micah: Not in a long time.
Twitter: Astronomy Tower
Andrew: “The Astronomy Tower is the tallest tower in Hogwarts that’s why it’s so tall.” Good point, Antoine. [laughs] I mean obviously but – for some reason, in the book, I didn’t picture it that tall. I don’t know. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.
Matt: You just didn’t want him to really – fall that hard.
Andrew: Yeah.
Matt: You didn’t want him to suffer.
Andrew: Right. It’s just sad to think of.
Matt: It’s the tallest…
Micah: I’m sure he probably falls in slow motion. If that makes you feel better Andrew.
Andrew: What’d you say, Micah?
Micah: I’m sure he probably falls in slow motion.
Andrew: [laughs] Yeah. Then I’ll react in slow motion. I’ll just be going, “Noooooo!”
[Matt laughs]
Eric: We should probably wrap this up.
Twitter: Too Many Trailers
Andrew: [laughs] Yeah. Okay. There’s so many questions coming in though. Let me just get one more. Twilighter369, “Why do you think they are putting out so many trailers? It is going to give away the whole movie.” I don’t think – I mean, Eric, percentage-wise, how much of the movie was actually revealed so far? Because this what, the fourth or fifth trailer?
Eric: Well, we’re talking about too many clips. If I had to break it down into scenes I couldn’t do that, but I – I don’t know. I can’t do it percentage-wise. That’s the wrong question to ask.
Matt: Honestly though, we haven’t really seen that much.
Andrew: Yeah, we really haven’t.
Matt: The only long scenes we’ve seen in the trailers are the same scenes.
Andrew: Yeah.
Matt: I mean all the new clips we saw were very short. We may have saw like one second at the very most. That’s more of a tease than actually a clip.
Eric: Talking about scenes – it may be a tease but combine that with promo pics and you’ve got nearly every scene in the film. Is at least one second clips that are the problem – what I think some of the fears are. And that’s not entirely true, but it’s close. It’s beginning to get to the point where it’s really close, where they’re clipping almost everything that’s good and sacred. I mean, they aren’t doing the whole scenes though. So until they release entire scenes for download online like they did for Goblet of Fire I won’t be too upset.
Andrew: Yeah. True.
Eric: As of now, it’s two minute trailers and it’s another two-something hour movie so it’s not giving too much of it away it’s just the eye candy parts of it.
Special Guest Announcement
Andrew: Yeah. Okay, so that is it for the show today but as promised we have a special announcement about a special guest coming on. Okay, so here’s the deal, like I said at the beginning of this recording, we were recording Episode 171 yesterday, but now what we’re recording right now is 171 and the show that comes out over the weekend – this will come out tonight – the show that comes out over the weekend will be 172. Okay?
Eric: And we totally [unintelligible].
Andrew: Yes, well that’s because a very surprise last minute thing – and nobody knew about this except for Laura, Micah, Matt and I. So, Micah, go ahead.
[Prolonged silence]
Micah: Okay.
Andrew: Well, yeah…
[Everyone laughs]
Andrew: You’ve got to – well, never mind. I’ll cue the drum roll when you’re ready.
Micah: Well, hold on a second.
Andrew: What?
Micah: I was just going to say, we’ve been teasing about this in different areas over the course of the last week or so.
Andrew: Mhm.
Micah: Right?
Andrew: Mhm.
Eric: Different areas?
Micah: So cue the drum roll.
Andrew: It’s very short so don’t be all surprised when it ends.
Matt: Just hurry up and say it.
[Drum roll sound plays]
Micah: Okay so on Episode 172 of MuggleCast…
[Drum roll sound ends]
Micah: Wow. That was a really short drum roll.
[Everyone laughs]
Andrew: I told you it was short!
Micah: We’re…
Andrew: Hold on. Wait. Wait. Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop. Try it again. Here’s what were going to do…
Micah: You’ve been teasing these people. You’re driving them crazy over here on the chat.
Matt: Just say the freaking thing. This is stupid.
Andrew: No. Hold on please. Please.
Micah: Okay.
Andrew: Here’s what we’re going to do. You intro it and you stop right before you reveal the name. I’ll play the drum roll then when you here the cling that’s when you say the name, okay? This is how we do it.
Micah: Okay.
Matt: What should Eric and I do?
[Andrew sighs]
Micah: On Episode 172 of MuggleCast, Andrew, Laura, and myself will be interviewing…
Andrew: Hold on.
[Drum roll sound plays]
Micah: The US illustrator of the Harry Potter series…
[Drum roll sound ends]
Micah: Mary GrandPre.
Andrew: Wooo!
Eric: Wow.
Matt: That’s pretty good.
Andrew: That’s pretty cool. Hmmm.
Eric: Wow. Really?
Andrew: That’s neat.
Eric: Did you guys ask her if she’s willing to go back and redo art for the anniversary editions to the books?
Andrew: We can’t reveal anything yet! Yes. We can’t say nothing! Yes.
Matt: Did you ask her to make a MuggleCast album art?
Andrew: Yeah. And she did it. No I’m just kidding – yeah, she did make the MuggleCast album art. We’ve been using it for like three years.
Matt: Oh that’s right.
[Eric laughs]
Show Close
Andrew: [laughs] Anyway, so that interview will be out this weekend. Very excited about it. And we thank Scholastic for allowing us to do it. So there you go and that’s the show. We thank everyone for listening. It’s been a lot of fun. And thanks for staying up late with us if you were over in the UK or wherever you are right now. And – what can I say? It’s been a fun show. Anyone have any final words of wisdom before we sign off today? While I also cue up some music so it sounds like we’re professional.
Eric: Nitwit. Blubber. Oddment. Tweak.
Andrew: Wow. Is this it? Is this all you guys got? Okay, well that’s okay. I have music ready to go. So thanks everyone for listening and have a good night and we’ll see you this weekend for Episode 172 and we’ll go live again one more time sometime whenever the next trailer’s out which I can’t have another thought like Ben did but maybe in another month or two. Who knows? Anyway, thanks everyone for listening. I’m Andrew Sims, Micah Tannenbaum, Matt Britton, Eric Scull. Goodbye everybody!
[“My Generation” by The Who plays]