Deathly Hallows Deleted Scenes: The Good, the Bad, and the Completely Unnecessary
Editing a movie must be one of the most trying processes in filmmaking. You fall in love with this script, which has been labored over for countless months, shoot these scenes you’ve envisioned down to the very last detail, and then find yourself slicing and dicing your baby into pieces. It’s like the judgement of King Solomon!
That said, for a movie to be any good, you have to trim the fat. You have to take all those individual scenes and splice them together into a coherent narrative. Some scenes have to go.
The deleted scenes from Deathly Hallows: Part I were released with the DVD and I’ve linked them below (complete with German subtitles, for no reason aside from that’s how I found them).
Let’s see what we have here:
Scene 1: Mr. Weasley with Ron, repairing a radio:
This doesn’t strike me as a necessary scene. It’s easy to accept that Ron has a radio with him on his travels. If memory serves, we don’t hear all that much from the underground Potterwatch during the film. It’s never called Potterwatch, anyway. The radio adds weight to what is happening in the world outside the trio, but we don’t really need to know where it came from.
Scene 2: Aunt Petunia leaving home:
I love the opening montage of this film, where we see the Dursleys leaving, Hermione obliviating her parents, and Ron standing alone outside the Burrow. But there were a number of interesting scenes that had to be cut to accomplish this, and these would have fleshed out the characters a bit more. We don’t find out about Dumbledore’s letter to Aunt Petunia in this film and we only have a fleeting glance of her motivations as a child in the second part of Deathly Hallows. This moment with Harry, when she admits to missing her sister and truly understanding what dangerous wizards are capable of, gives her new depth. I missed it the first time I saw the film and, if there was some way to include it without disrupting the amazing opening sequence, I think it would have been a nice touch.
Scene 3: Dudley leaving home:
I loved this moment in the book and I love this deleted scene. Maybe Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon can’t be redeemed, but Dudley can. His so comedic in this otherwise heavy moment. Maybe it’s all the fat-face makeup they have piled on his face to give him the required Dudley chubbiness. And Harry saying “See ya, Big D.”? It’s a great moment.
Scene 4: Yaxley looking for the Grangers:
This one took me a moment before I figured it out. I don’t think it reads well. Not worth saving.
Scene 5: Harry and Ron in the Ministry with Mr. Weasley:
I love Harry warning Mr. Weasley that he’s being followed, but we already spend enough time in the elevator at the Ministry. The whole Ministry experience is a fantastic part of this film. It’s probably not necessary to add anything further to it.
Scene 6: Harry explains the Horcruxes to the audience Hermione:
In case you haven’t been paying attention the last six films and/or didn’t read the books, here’s a friendly reminder of what we’re doing out here in the woods. Not really needed. If you can’t follow the plot by this point, you probably should just give up and go see something brainless like Twilight or something (Oh man, Twilight bashing is back! Haven’t had that on this blog in a while).
Scene 7: Ron and Harry piss off P.E.T.A.:
I think the point of this scene is to show Ron’s growing hostility toward Harry. It leads to his abrupt departure later in the film and is explained fully when he faces the Horcrux. But we really don’t need this to be explained. We completely get the drift when we watch Ron jealously following after Harry and Hermione on their travels. All this scene actually manages to accomplish is making me angry with Ron and Harry for chasing after a poor defenseless bunny rabbit. For shame! Though it does raise the interesting question that isn’t addressed in the film – where do they get food?
Scene 8: Ron and Hermione skipping stones: I don’t think the first part of this film is slow. A lot of people disagree with me. And you know how to make it slower? Spend a few minutes watching the main characters skip stones. You know why people skip stones? They’re bored. You know what’s awful to watch on the big screen? People being bored. It’s boring watching boredom. If ever there was a scene I’m glad didn’t make it into the final cut, this is it.
So what do you think? Would you have liked to see these scenes in the film? Are you glad they were cut?
The only scene that I was really looking forward to was Dudley telling Harry that he “isn’t a waste of space.” I was extremely disappointed when it wasn’t in the movie, and even more so when I found out that they filmed it but it was cut!
Aside from that one, the scene where Harry warns Mr. Weasley was nice. Though like you mentioned, the Ministry scenes were fantastic enough as it were.
If bashing Twilight is wrong, then I don’t want to be right.
Nice breakdown of the deleted scenes, Jess. I saw the last hour of DH 1 while at a pastors’ conference two weeks back. First time I’d seen part of it since seeing it in the theater. I thought it really held up well & still worked for me.
Although I still haven’t cried yet for Dobby’s death scene.
“Twilight” was on cable TV last night (October 26). I watched a few minutes of it and I was impressed by the poor acting of the heroine (whose name escapes me at the moment). That was my only exposure to the Twilight series, and I am not motivated to see or read any more.
I believe her name is Kristen Stewart. And no, after reading Twilight, I’m also not motivated to read or see more.
I missed the scene with Dudley too! But I’m glad they took out the part where they skipped stones… what would be the point of that?!?!?!
I don’t think the first part of DH is slow either! It’s just the right pace and it was pretty close to the book in details and explaining things.
I’m mostly okay with these cuts. It would have been nice to see a bit more depth in Dudley or Petunia, but I’m fine with not seeing them. The number one scene I’ve always been most upset over being cut or watered down is the “In Noctem” scene from Half-Blood Prince. It might have slowed the pacing down a bit, but it fits the mood of the final moments so beautifully.
Actually the scene that I missed was Yaxley looking for Hermione’s parents. I thought that the soundtrack set up the 2 opposing sides preparing for what would come. Potter’s side gets Obliviate, which is full of regrets for me, but nevertheless preparing for war. Meanwhile, Voldie’s side gets a very aggressive piece of music, Snape to Malfoy Manor. 2 sides of one coin. Yaxley’s appearance in the house would just add to the menace.
I also thought that ‘ In Noctem” was a brilliant piece . Too bad it was left out.
This scene sends shivers up my spine – the music is amazing, you’re right, and the part where you see Snape would make a really good connector to the next movie, where it starts off with Snape. I wish they hadn’t cut it!
I didn’t actually get the Yaxley scene right away, I didn’t even know who Yaxley was until we see him in the ministry, so I’m afraid I disagree with you on that count.
I quite liked Dudley’s scene as well, like you Jess, I really enjoyed it.
What I really missed was Lupin.
I had really, really hoped that they would do at least one of Lupin’s scene so that we would knoe that he and Tonks are married and that Tonks is pregnant, whether it be the argument, or, even better, the scene at Shell Cottage, because then we know that Harry is Teddy’s godfather, and we get introduced to him (albeit in a photo). So I was really disappointed when neither were there, as how would Yates set the scene for that line in ‘The Forest Again”….’And Remus, your son’… I’d rather hoped that it would make it to the deleted scenes, that way we could still enjoy the tension resolved (or created) between Harry and Lupin, as well as see Teddy. But to know that they hadn’t even considered putting it in?
That was a major blow.
My little rant over, sorry for that, but I feel very strongly about that little thing =)
http://perezhilton.com/2011-10-28-harry-potter-and-the-deathly-hallows-part-2-deleted-scenes?from=mostemailed#.Tq5QeUDbAjc
*SPOILERS*
These are the Part 2 deleted scenes, sorry but I don’t know how to directly attach the footage, but I think that it’s really good.
I’m really disappointed that they miss out (AGAIN) the Tonks and Lupin moment, because (as I said previously, it was really necesaary to introduce their relationship properly, and Teddy, and it would make it that much sadder when they died), and Ginny’s little 20 second scene, because I think that Ginny in the movies is quite a weak character who isn’t really there, and this would have fleshed her out a little. Also, the snake bit is funny, they should have kept that as there really wasn’t much talking during the snake chase, and I think Hermione’s line would have been made into another one-liner to put on T-Shirts – “don’t say anything that you wouldn’t say if a humongous snake wasn’t chasing us!”
The only scene I thought would have added to the film was the 2nd one with Petunia and Harry. She doesn’t get much depth in the film, but deserves it; this was a very effective way to remind us she is a human being suffering losses as well. I missed Dudley’s redemption scene from the book, but I didn’t like the way it was filmed. It was too long and draggy, and I actually found the comedic aspect vaguely irritating.
I also disagree with you about the horcrux scene; I think it was effective. I liked the mention of Voldemort’s name being used to track people, and I think it sets up the seriousness and tension of carrying that cursed bit of him around.
I thought the rock-throwing moment was sweet, but not the point of the movie. And I thought the odd rabbit-hunting / play-fighting scene was too indecisive to help anything at all. Plus, Harry looks like a total dweeb as he swishes away in his floppy pants.
Why don’t they use Accio Rabbit? Does that only work for inanimate objects?
True that a scriptwriter may love his/her script, but once its in the hands of the director, it is no longer what the scriptwriter envisioned it to be, in fact, it always ends up being better. Then, when the footage goes to the editor, the envisioning of the director may be manipulated and changed as well.
You see, in the film industry, the scriptwriter, the director and editor are all storytellers themselves, they have the power to manipulate what they have and create something better. So, most of the time, what each person envisions will most probably not turn out the way you want it to be, BUT it becomes better. I wouldn’t say its judgement, rather, an enhanced and beautified process.
Even if you are all the three, what you previously envisioned always becomes better at the end, even if you have to cut a few scenes.
I think i ran out of topic, but i cant help it. haha. when you said judgement i just had to speak out. From the experience i’ve been through, most of my scripts, in which i think would look awesome through my imagination always look so much better after the director and editors has dissected it.
Anyways, regarding the deleted scenes. I am SO glad they removed the slytherin in the dungeon scene, that was totally inappropriate! That would have pissed off a lot of fans. Especially me, since i’m a slytherin.
I admit I have less confidence than you that the final product is “always” better…but it is very interesting hearing your point of view.
That’s one of the biggest lessons I learned when studying Screenwriting and Playwriting in college. The screenwriter is never the final voice. If you’re lucky, 10% of what you originally wrote will end up in the final film the way you imagined it. The playwright, on the other hand, is God. You cannot change a word he or she puts on the page.