American Entertainment: Starting with playing the role of Little Beaver

Chapter 49 The Secret Chamber Re-emerges: Record List

The situation was the same as before attending the premiere of "Philosopher's Stone".

Isabella herself had no idea how her role in "The Secret Chamber" was filmed.

Therefore, as the screen lit up, she also focused on watching the movie.

The first logo to appear was Warner's logo. Every time Isabella saw WB, she would think of SB. Shaw Brothers' design was amazing.

After the title of the movie "HP" swept across the clouds, the camera suddenly zoomed down rapidly, as if God had descended to earth, taking the audience to England, to Surrey, to Privet Road in Little Huigkin.

Find the Dursleys' house in the densely packed buildings, and look through the window—

Harry Potter is reminiscing at his desk, looking through photos from his school days.

Honestly, this transition has a lot of bugs.

For example:

When the camera pans down from the clouds to the ground, all the English houses on the screen look the same.

This looks like it was rushed during post-production; it's all just copy-and-paste work.

For example:

In reality, Surrey is a suburb of Greater London and is quite prosperous.

But in the movie, there were hardly any cars on the crisscrossing roads.

Anyone who has done post-production work knows that this is a compromise due to insufficient computing power.

Even so, cheers still erupted from the crowd.

"Oh! Look! Harry!"

"He seems to have grown up!!"

Since the huge success of "Jurassic Park", special effects have become the key to attracting people to the cinema. But this is only the general case. For movies with a source material, the selling point is always the story and the characters. As long as you grasp the core, you can win applause.

At least that's how it is among the fans.

Therefore, with Harry's appearance, the slight visual incongruity at the beginning of the film was immediately overlooked by the audience, and the cheers from the audience made Daniel look happy. No one can resist the love of the masses, and it even made Isabella lean slightly to one side—

"Daniel, take on a new project. You're a big star with a fan base."

"..."

Egg Girl stopped laughing.

"Isa, please, please don't say this anymore."

He was extremely helpless.

Isabella, you're really bringing up a sore subject!

Everyone knows he hates USA Today! Everyone knows he has no projects! And then they ask him to make a new movie? This—

"Ugh!"

"Hehe——"

Eggsy's act of wearing the mask of pain amused Rupert, who was sitting to his left, and he smiled.

Well, Daniel Andrew is the true protagonist of the movie, so he's sitting in the center, with Rupert and Isabella on his left and right.

Although Rupert controlled his voice, Isabella still heard him.

Leaning forward, he whispered, "Radish? Pfft pfft? You'll get applause too."

"..."

Rupert's vision went black.

He understood what Isabella meant: he would receive the same treatment as Daniel.

This--

At that moment, he realized that Egg Girl was right; Isabella was a bit annoying!

"Ugh!"

The two sighs made Isabella laugh and lean back in her seat. Playing with children was so much fun! And as the screen rapidly shifted, the opening of *The Locked Room* was revealed to the audience:
Just as Isabella said during the farewell scene at the end of "The Philosopher's Stone," Hogwarts is Harry's home, and the Dursleys' house is just his place in the Muggle world. After the end of his first year at Hogwarts, Harry returned to the Muggle world and was bullied by his aunt, uncle, and cousin.

Throughout the summer vacation, they forbade Harry from doing homework, reading textbooks, or learning anything about magic. He was forced to stay in his room and do things related to the Muggle world.

This order troubled Harry.

At the same time, he was still somewhat puzzled.

Before the summer vacation started, he had agreed with Ron and Hermione to stay in touch during the summer, but no matter how many letters Harry wrote to his friends, he did not receive the reply he deserved, which made him feel that the two of them had probably forgotten about him.
And just when he was feeling lost, Dobby appeared out of nowhere.
Then Harry realized that his current confusion was all Dobby's doing. Dobby told him that he couldn't return to Hogwarts this year because a huge conspiracy was looming over the school, and he would be in mortal danger if he went back. To ensure his safety, Dobby had secretly intercepted Ron and Hermione's replies, intending to make him disillusioned with his friends and the school.

To be honest, in Harry Potter, Dobby's introduction was similar to Hermione's, neither of them were particularly likable.

Hermione is annoying because she is not very pretty and is arrogant.
Dobby is annoying because he's too noisy. He bangs his head against the wall when he doesn't want to answer a question, and screams loudly when he's emotionally upset. He seems like a neurotic.

But it is precisely because of this kind of portrayal that their images become instantly three-dimensional.

At the same time, Dobby has an advantage that Hermione doesn't have when he appears. In the original book, Hermione's appearance is relatively ordinary. If the movie hadn't made some minor adjustments to this point, Hermione's public image would probably be polarized. But Dobby is different. The house-elf buff makes readers and viewers naturally know that he is not a human.

Since Dobby isn't a person, and judging from its appearance it's just a 'monster,' isn't it perfectly normal for a monster to behave differently from ordinary people? It's like a car mechanic carrying a wrench around—it makes perfect sense.

So when Columbus respected the original work and faithfully recreated Dobby from Rowling's pen, the lucky fans at the premiere erupted in cheers; their loud laughter was a testament to their satisfaction.

"Oh~ Dobby is so cute~"

"Although it looks similar to Gulu, it's much more interesting than Gulu!"

"Look! Dobby's gone after the Dursleys' guests! Even though his intention was to harm Harry, I think it's also revenge for Harry. The Dursleys are disgusting! I get annoyed every time I see them!"

"Wow~ A cake fell from the sky~ passing right through the guest's head~ Hahaha~ Dobby is really creative~"

The fans' enthusiasm brought smiles to the faces of the creative team, and with Dobby's arrival, the story of "The Chamber of Secrets" officially began:
Dobby said that an invisible darkness was shrouding Hogwarts?

Oh~ if this were a video game, it would be an NPC giving the player a quest~
Even a coward would go and see for himself at this moment, but Harry Potter?

How could a boy who survived such a close call be immune to all the bad luck!

Even when his aunt and uncle locked him in the house, confining him to his room, the cold grilles couldn't stop his desire to go to school. And then, Ron appeared, and with Ron's help, Harry successfully embarked on an adventure...

"radish?"

After the fans at the premiere applauded Ron's bravery, Isabella started "pfft pfft" again.

Ron was quite exasperated by the insistence on giving equal treatment to everyone.

He waved his hand forcefully, signaling Isabella to stop talking nonsense.

The guy, who was on the verge of a breakdown, made the little girl giggle and lean back in her seat.

Continue watching the movie—

Harry, now free, takes a short rest at Ron's house;
Head to Diagon Alley to buy the school supplies you need for the new semester;

Although there was a slight mishap during the process—Harry cast the wrong spell and accidentally ended up in Knockturn Alley—he was reunited with his friends with Hagrid's help. And then Hermione pulled out her wand and fixed Harry's glasses once again…

Hey! Why does Hermione look even prettier than before?

"Because she grew up just like Harry and Ron!"

"You were cute last year! You're even cuter this year!!"

"Uh... then won't it be even cuter next year?"

"hahahaha~"

The discussion coming from behind made Isabella, who was leaning back in her chair, shift to a more comfortable position.

He happily shook his feet.

Like Dan Niu and Luo Bo, she also really enjoys the feeling of being loved.

While enjoying the show, keep your eyes glued to the screen—

While buying school supplies, the group encountered Hogwarts' new professor, Gilderoy Lockhart, who would be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts in the new school year. After buying the books, they got into a conflict with the Mafia family because the young master was jealous of Harry's ability to steal the spotlight wherever he went, and thus made sarcastic remarks...

On their way to King's Cross Station to catch the Hogwarts Express, Harry and Ron missed their train because the platform was suddenly closed by a mysterious force as they were crossing Platform 9.
At that moment, Ron had a sudden inspiration and said he could drive to school, and then...

Wuhu ~ Takeoff ~
Driving their flying cars, they felt like the coolest kids in the whole school!
Unfortunately, their cool moment lasted only three seconds. The flying car couldn't withstand the long distance and broke down halfway there. It almost stalled when they arrived at the school, causing them to crash into the school's "Hawthorn Tree" upon landing...

This is one of the rarest magical plants in Hogwarts.

Planted by Dumbledore himself.

It is a powerful barrier designed to protect Lupin the Moon when he transforms into a werewolf on the night of a full moon.

After the two of them damaged the plant, Harry and Ron were severely reprimanded by Professor Snape. It was because they were not from Slytherin; otherwise, Snape would have kicked them out long ago.

Uh……

Anyway, that's what Snape said.

As for whether he can do it?

That depends on just how much Snape really likes Harry's mother...

With the film reaching this point, Harry's adventures in his second year at Hogwarts officially begin. However, to be frank, the film's plot differs somewhat from the novel:
For example, in the novel, after Harry broke his glasses due to a spell error, the person who fixed them was actually Ron's father. However, in the movie, this part of the story was given to Hermione, which made Hermione the ultimate nanny that Isabella jokingly referred to.
For example, in the novel, when Harry accidentally enters Knockturn Alley, he immediately sees Malfoy. He discovers the Malfoys handling contraband that is strictly prohibited by the Ministry of Magic. However, this scene was cut from the movie. This would make the movie's plot slightly disjointed, since the Malfoys are arguably the real masterminds in the story. They are responsible for creating the Noseless Monster's diary, and Dobby is also a servant of the Malfoys. When all this information is presented, Harry's suspicion of Malfoy and Dobby's erratic behavior during the Chamber of Secrets are explained. But with the disappearance of this information, it feels a bit like a deus ex machina.
For example, in the novel, Rowling explains to readers why everyone almost idolizes Gilderoy Lockhart, the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher they've never met. It's because he used his privilege to add his book to the Hogwarts must-buy list for the new term, making everyone, especially Hermione, think he's incredibly powerful. In the movie, however, this part is simply glossed over. Columbus only shows everyone's idolization of Lockhart without explaining the reasons behind it.

When these additions and deletions occur, the plot of the film will inevitably deviate from the story told in the novel. However, this is unavoidable because the narrative time of a film is limited, and it cannot portray all the characters in detail like a novel.

Therefore, weakening the supporting characters and highlighting the main characters, placing the spotlight on the main characters, is inevitable.

This……

Tell the truth.

When the main character consistently delivers outstanding performances, the entire movie becomes incredibly enjoyable to watch.

Yes, that's the secret to Columbus's success in Hollywood:

The production principle of commercial films is to ensure that every audience member who enters the theater feels that their trip was worthwhile!
Life is tough enough, so why can't I just spend money to watch a movie and have some fun?

And when Columbus made the film with this mindset—

"Immobulus (Full Immobilization) —"

Wow~~

"Cool~~~~" "Hermione's awesome~~~~~~"

In the Defense Against the Dark Arts class, Professor Lockhart made a mess of things—he had released a bunch of sprites from Cornwall, sprites that love to cause trouble and destruction, but he couldn't catch them all.

So Hermione drew her wand and cast a freezing spell on them, instantly clearing out the entire area.

In the original book, Hermione did indeed clean up Professor Lockhart's mess, but she wasn't that capable.

When catching Pokémon, they are frozen one by one.

But that doesn't matter, does it?

A wave of the wand! The world freezes!

Doesn't this look more satisfying than catching them one by one?
Furthermore, the subsequent plot also revolves around the 'Mudblood' race.

Thirty seconds ago, Hermione swept away all the mischievous elves like a whirlwind.

30 seconds later, the scene flashes to Malfoy saying she's a Mudblood?

Wow~~
With this combination, the feeling of a "cool" novel is immediately apparent, right?
Everyone knows Hermione is strong!

Everyone knows that Hermione did something that even the school professors couldn't do!
Uh……

Although Professor Lockhart is just a clown in "The Chamber of Secrets," he has little real talent and is just a fraud.

But nobody cares about these details now!
All everyone sees is that Hermione is cool!

When faced with Malfoy's criticism, her calm response makes it seem as if the young master is in a helpless rage!
When Isabella directs... cough, when Isabella's scenes from the novel, adapted to respect the original work, appear...

"Ohhhhh—Hermione's amazing—"

"Hermione is right! A title can determine a person's social status? That's medieval practice!"

"What era are we living in? Are we still talking about bloodline and social status?"

"So what if Decora Malfoy has a good dad? What's so great about that!"

"Our Hermione is the best!!!"

"..."

The loud noise reminded Isabella of Rowling from an hour earlier.

Press your lips together and tense your body.

She was genuinely afraid that she might suddenly burst out laughing.

Isabella admitted that making Hermione look better on screen was the reason she had insisted on optimizing the storyline.

Furthermore, she admitted that if the script hadn't combined the "Hermione's triumph" and "Mudblood" storylines, she wouldn't have thought of optimizing it. Only when these two events are closely linked can Hermione continuously shine, and this layering makes her look even cooler. A single presentation wouldn't have the same effect.

"The changes are good."

The cheers from the audience prompted Rowling to offer her quiet congratulations.

"Thank you."

The little girl smiled and pursed her lips; she also felt that she had made good changes.

"Humph~"

At the same time, a nasal sound suddenly came from Rupert's direction.

He turned his head and looked.

Columbus, sitting next to Rupert, had turned to look at her. Although the theater was pitch black, the screen was lit up, so Isabella could see that Columbus's face was full of displeasure.

Okay, okay—thank you!

Isabella was left speechless, both amused and exasperated by Columbus.

She understood what Columbus meant.

If Columbus hadn't allowed her to rewrite the script, she wouldn't have received such recognition.

and--

To be honest, this modification was actually inspired by Columbus.

Because Columbus taught her how to write a script before the plot was revised.

When Columbus stated in his writing instruction on The Voice that even the smallest story can have a grand narrative, and that the rhythm and emotion of a film are interdependent, she felt that Hermione's strength and Hermione's pride could be combined.
Why was Hermione able to completely ignore Malfoy's sarcasm?

Because Hermione is strong!

When did Hermione become strong?
One second ago, while everyone was struggling to clean up the mess Professor Lockhart had made and Malfoy was leading the escape—

Mom, the area is cleared out.

Over.

Isabella's knowledge caused Columbus's expression to change, and he laughed.

“Great idea.”

He said something softly, then continued watching the movie.

To be fair, after Hermione Granger delivered her signature performance in "The Chamber of Secrets," she was practically stealing the spotlight from Harry Potter. The whole movie, thanks to her, really became "Hermione Granger and Her Two Useless Men." But this didn't last long.

This is not only because Harry also has many highlights in "The Chamber of Secrets", such as his duel with Malfoy and his Parseltongue, which makes him 'suspicious' by his Gryffindor classmates. The emergence of suspense makes the audience's attention refocus on the protagonist.

Furthermore, Hermione didn't have many scenes in "The Chamber of Secrets".

Halfway through the story, Hermione was petrified and killed after seeing the eyes of the giant snake in the Chamber of Secrets.

When the trio became a duo, and then Ron separated from Harry at the entrance of the Chamber of Secrets because of Professor Lockhart's foolish behavior, he soloed the Chamber of Secrets snake, thwarted the noseless monster's plot, used the basilisk's fangs to pierce Tom Riddle's diary, and shattered the noseless monster's Horcrux... This series of actions turned the movie back into "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets".

Harry remains the main character.

"Wow—this movie is absolutely amazing—"

"The scene where Harry fought the basilisk was so cool! He pierced the basilisk with one sword!"

"Yes, yes, yes! Especially when Harry killed Tom Riddle at the end, it was so cool! Thud thud thud—he stabbed the diary three times without hesitation! He was so decisive and smart!"

"Oh—but my favorite part is still Hermione's, where she freezes everyone in place and they all say goodbye? That was such a brilliant design!"

"I remember that too! Hermione was so cool! And speaking of Hermione, there's another scene I absolutely love. When Hermione was preparing Polyjuice Potion, the way she was so focused was just so goddess-like! Then, she accidentally used the wrong hair and turned into a catgirl, oh my god—just thinking about that makes me laugh!"

"I remember that part too! I almost died laughing when Hermione the Catwoman appeared! She looked so helpless! Her eyes were so funny!"

"And at the end of the movie! After Dumbledore announced the cancellation of this year's exams, Hermione was the only one in the whole school who was unhappy! When she said 'Oh, no' in despair, I really wanted to rush into the movie and hug her! She's just sooooo cute—"

The 160-minute movie flew by.

As the film ended, thunderous applause erupted at the premiere, followed by a flurry of discussion.

The fans' delight made the creative team very happy.

After everyone had completed the process in order and gone on stage to answer questions from the media and fans.

The fervor filling the theater made everyone feel that success was just around the corner.

"So I want to ask the creative team a question: how far do you think 'The Secret Room' will go at the box office?"

"Is it similar to 'The Philosopher's Stone'? Or will it break 10 billion?"

The question posed by the media made everyone in the room prick up their ears.

David Heyman, holding the microphone, glanced at the people around him, then smiled and said, "It is our wish that each film is better than the last, and at the same time, we also feel that this is Harris's last wish."

David Heyman's answer was cunning.

When he linked his box office predictions to the late Dumbledore, the media found it difficult to ask any further questions.

However, this will not prevent the media from reporting on "The Secret Room".

As the premiere concluded and a new day dawned, countless media outlets recounted the spectacular premiere of the previous day—

[A superb sequel! Outstanding performances! Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets will deliver a moving and thrilling visual feast for all eager fans! —Entertainment Weekly]

[A faithful adaptation! A film that exceeds expectations! Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets will be the best Thanksgiving gift this year! —The Daily Telegraph]

[Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is poised to become this year's box office champion! —The Hollywood Reporter]

Chris Columbus showcased his directing skills to the fullest in *Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets*, perfectly capturing the main plot! Daniel Radcliffe's portrayal of Harry Potter is unparalleled in bravery, perfectly embodying the character's courage and kindness! Rupert Grint is utterly loyal, and Ron Weasley is portrayed with exceptional perfection! But the most memorable performance is by Isabella Heywood, who feels like J.K. Rowling's own daughter! She possesses keen intelligence, strong logic, and a kind heart—more like Hermione than Rowling's original character, Hermione Granger! —*The New York Times*

Since the media reports after the premiere were all products of Dao Le's influence, you can only take the media reviews with a grain of salt. If you actually believe them, you can only pray that the production company didn't pay too much.

When media reports cannot be fully trusted, where is the real market feedback?
That's the box office, of course.

While box office figures can be manipulated, the cost of doing so is simply too high.

No matter how much you inflate box office figures, the theaters still get a share of the profits. Then, big names who get a share of the box office will also take a cut based on the total box office data. The tax authorities will also collect taxes based on the box office. So, if you inflate a hundred dollars in box office revenue but only get back a dozen dollars, then you should really go buy health supplements instead of believing that this stuff can launder money.

So……

Like Philosopher's Stone, The Secret Chamber also had a preview screening.

The dates were November 9th and 10th, 2002.

The schedule remains the same: 10 AM to 10 PM.

Amidst media frenzy and fan anticipation, the exclusive UK preview date is fast approaching.

On the 9th, "The Chamber of Secrets" premiered on over 1100 screens in nearly 500 cinemas across the British Isles, and then raked in £8 million at the box office during its four-hour run...

"How much did you say?"

Number 11, Leavesden.

Isabella had just gotten out of bed when she was shocked by the data her older sister reported.

“Isa, you heard right, The Chamber has grossed £800 million in its first two days of previews.”

Catherine, who was looking at her younger sister, understood what her sister meant and nodded seriously.

"..."

Isabella lost her voice.

(End of this chapter)