I Miss Richard Harris

May he rest in Peace. Despite what other things I might say her and there in defense of this or that aspect or scene in the movies beginning with #3 ... there is one thing that the first two movies will have that the following movies cannot match; and that is Richard Harris as DD. (I just realized I have not yet put up another post that I was going to, in which I point out some positive points from the POA movie ... at the same time, I do concur with Paul's Amazon review of the movie, that they are rushing them ... and I too am going into the theaters consciously telling myself not to expect the book's quality of detail etc) I think Michael Gamblin is a fine actor and I think he does fine at the role in the third movie ... but I think that Harris fit that role to a degree that is not even matched by Alan Rickman as Snape (and that is saying a lot in my book ... I love Rickman's Snape). Somehow Harris simply was DD. Even in reading this last book ... even in physical stature and mannerism ... it is difficult for me to imagine anyone filling out that tall and awkwardly chosen "muggle" suit DD wears quite the way that Harris would, or pulling off the rooftop dialogue with Malfoy quite as well. I know that I could never enjoy the movies anywhere near as much as I enjoy the books ... but Harris' performance got closer than anyone to putting in vision and sound what Rowling has on the page. Richard Harris' IMDB page