Emma Watson in 3D

PotterCast was talking about the recently released IMAX poster for the Order of the Phoenix. As they pointed out, Emma Watson appears blonder and her chest appears a bit larger in Harry Potter IMAX ads when compared to the Order of the Phoenix poster, even though they are both based around the same artwork.

IMAX Order of the Phoenix poster

Posterwire.com comments:

Although Hollywood (and media in general) has a long history of "augmentation via Photoshop" in advertising, this instance is less obvious than other examples. But it is hard to resist pointing out Hermione Granger’s breast growth spurt in this case when the artwork is for a 3D movie from a theater chain with the motto "Think Big." (This also invokes memories of a Saturday Night Live Harry Potter skit from a few years ago.)

Why is there a difference between the two pieces of Potter key art? Since the IMAX version of the poster art appeared online before the final Harry Potter one-sheet, we can only speculate that Warner Bros. gave the IMAX ad group an earlier "comp" version of the artwork prior to being finalized for the studio’s own press run. There are other subtle differences between the two: the domestic one-sheet version of Herminoe Granger features a less flowing hair style, probably because her hair in the IMAX version blocks more of actor Matt Lewis (as Neville Longbottom) standing behind Emma Watson.

I share the PotterCast commentators' irritation with this. I am not naive, of course, about Hollywood's prediliction to sex everything up. Nor do I think that if Hermione is brainy, she therefore can't be sexy. And if the intention was to "sex her up," then note the underlying message that blonder woman with bigger breasts are somehow sexier than darker-haired woman with small breasts. It's especially worth noting, given that Jo Rowling herself has spoken out about the insanity of girls judging themselves and each other on the basis of weight and/or personal appearance.

Edited to add: I'll also add that it's possible that I'm simply being unreasonably cranky about what is, after all, a rather minor change. I blame getting a less-than-ideal-amount of sleep.

Edited to add again: thomtoffner offers a perfectly reasonable explanation that I think clears this up.

"Actually, there’s no foul play here. No breasts were enhanced.

I just discovered that the two images are part of a stereo pair, which I’m assuming is for one of those 3-D movie posters you sometimes see at the theater.

I have explanation and a sample 3-D image here."

Thanks, thomtoffner.

Attention, lurkers

I last did this in June of 2005, so it's probably time to do it again:

Gacked mostly verbatim from nmalfoy: Lurkers out there, yo, today's your day. Whether you're a LJ-lurker or from someplace outside reading this journal, you are the reason this journal isn't locked by default. So, come out and say 'hi' or something. Tell me what you're doing here, how you feel, who you are, whatever. Today's the day to seize and be un-shy for once.

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