The Megahit Movies

by Richard Stefanik

  I think that this movie was such a blockbuster because of the magic, more than the story itself. They took the audience into a world that is extraordinary and not part of everyday experience. Shifting staircases, great special effects, and the magical scenes provided this in the Harry Potter movie.

  The climax was filled with surprises and many twists. The audience was expecting Prof. Snape to be the villain who wanted to get the stone. The first surprise is that it was Prof. Quirrrell. The second surprise was that Voldemort was part of Quirrell. Then, the stone was in Harry’s pocket. Then, Harry turned the flesh of Quirrell into dust. Then, the spirit of Voldemort flies away. Every good climax scene should have several twists in it. This keeps the story unpredictable.

  The resolution scenes are also filled with surprises. In the ceremony for the awarding of the house cup, the audience is lead to believe that Slytherin has won. The audience is disappointed because they wanted Gryffindor to win. But then new points are awarded, and Gryffindor does win. We all celebrate with them. This is an example of the classic Hollywood story structure of giving the audience what they want (Gryffindor to win) but in an unexpected way. It is also more emotionally effective because the initial disappointment then becomes a greater joy!

  What is the final happy ending? Harry receives the animated photograph of his parents with him as a baby. Even though the parents are long dead, the audience experiences this “reunion” as the last image of the movie and Harry is happy. It is like in the movie Titanic when Rose and Jack are reunited under the clock on the staircase of the Titanic, even though Jack has long been dead.

  What is Harry’s primary objective in the first part of the movie? Harry is not a very active character in the first part of the movie. Things just seem to happen to him. He gets letters. He finds himself the center of attention when he goes to the school of magic. But he does not have a driving goal until the third act when he desires to stop Prof. Snape from stealing the Sorcerer’s Stone. But that is very late in the story.

  I think that the audience’s interest is maintained by all the magic that they see on the screen and not so much because of the character of Harry Potter. The mystery of his notoriety compels the viewer to find out more. Of course, his deepest desire (as revealed by the mirror) is to be reunited with his parents which happens with the animated photo at the end of the movie. This story is essentially the mystery of who Harry really is. Why should the stone all of a sudden just be in his pocket? In other stories, the protagonist has to struggle to obtain the unique object. In this movie, all he has to do is just be there. I found this part of the story design to be very weak. It appears that the audience doesn’t care about these plot point problems as long as the characters they care about triumph in the end. This is another story that became a megahit movie because it is filled with magic and humor.

  HARRY POTTER and THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN There were three sequels to megahit movies in the summer of 2004, but only two of them became megahits: Shrek 2 and Spider-Man 2. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban did not make it. It came very close, but only reached $249 million, while Shrek 2 made $438 million and Spider-Man 2 made $372 million. Why did the Harry Potter make so much less than the other two? How did it lose another potential $200 million? In my opinion, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban failed because of the structure of the third act and the climax scene. Even though it had a great built-in audience, it broke the standard paradigm of a megahit movie.

  The classic megahit structure has a climax scene in which the protagonist fights the antagonist for control of the unique object and the love interest. Spider-Man 2 fits this pattern. Spider-Man fights Doc Ock to shut down the nuclear fusion reaction that will kill MJ and destroy NYC. Shrek 2 also fits this pattern. Shrek fights Prince Charming and the Fairy God Mother to save the Kingdom and to get back Princess Fiona. This structure is effective because it brings the audience to a heightened emotional peak during the climax scene.

  Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban does not use this structure. It does not drive the audience to an emotional peak. In this movie, there are a series of climaxes and a series of antagonists, and the scenes are replayed twice with the use of Hermione’s time travel device.

  The third act of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban becomes a series of puzzles that the audience has to resolve in order to understand what takes place in the story. It becomes an intellectual experience, rather than an emotional experience, for the audience. That’s why, in my opinion, people are not going back to see it again. Once the puzzle is solved there is no need to figure it out a second time. Repeat viewing by an audience is essential for a film to become a megahit movie. This movie had a tremendous built in audience due to the popularity of the novels and the first two Harry Potter films. It has great production values, a lot of magical gimmicks, and neat objects, but in the end, it is not an emotionally satisfying experience.

  The problem is that there is no one major climax! No emotional peak! There are a series of minor climaxes that all lead to other problems and confrontations. It has a flawed dramatic design. What was the most dramatic moment of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban? In Shrek 2, it was when Shrek stops Prince Charming from kissing his wife Fiona. In Spider-Man 2, it is when he saves MJ from being destroyed by the fusion reaction, and she realizes that Peter is SpiderMan.

  There is no one most powerful moment in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. No one big climax scene. The audience wants that climax scene. They have paid money and sat in the theater for two hours to see it. Give it to them, and they will come back for more! They expect it. This is good dramatic structure. Don’t make your endings an intellectual puzzle. This is not what the mass audience wants. They want to see the protagonist destroy a villain that they have come to hate while saving the life of the love interest. This is the essential structure needed to design a story that can become megahit movie.

  THE LORD OF THE RINGS TRILOGY U.S. Domestic Box-Office

  FELLOWSHIP OF THE RINGS $313

  THE TWO TOWERS $340

  RETURN OF THE KING $377

  FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING

  Unique Object: The One Ring which will Rule them All.

  Protagonist: Frodo Baggins. His primary objective is to destroy the Ring in the Fires of Mordor to save Middle-Earth from destruction.

  Antagonist: Sauron. His primary objective is to conquer Middle-Earth. Possession of the One Ring will enable him to do this. Protagonist Supporters of Frodo Sam, the Hobbit

  Gandalf, the White Wizard

  Aragorn, the heir of Isildur

  Legolas, the Elf

  Gimli, the Dwarf

  Lord Elrond of the Elves

  Arwen, the love interest for Aragorn Peregrine Took (Pippin), the Hobbit Meriadoc Brandybuck (Merry), the Hobbit Ents,Tree-Folks

  Antagonist Supporters of Sauron

  Gollum (Sméagol)

  Orcs

  Uruk-hai Warriors

  Ringwraiths, who patrol the skies with the Fell Beasts Saruman, the Evil Wizard defeated in the Two Towers by the Ents

  The Prologue: Opening Scene The Story of the One Ring of Power

  Introduction of the Antagonist: Lord Sauron Voice of Elf, Queen Galadriel

  “The World has changed. Much that once was is now lost.” “It began with the forging of the rings”

  3 to the Elves

  7 to the Dwarves

  9 to men who desire power most

  They were deceived. Sauron created a master ring to rule all the others.

  Men and Elves fought for the freedom of Middle-Earth. But Sauron, with the power of the ring, could not be undone. Isildur took up his father’s sword and cut the ring off Sauron’s finger. The ring passed to Isildur, who was ambushed and killed by other men. The ring was lost in a river bed for 2,500 years. History became legend which became myth.

  The ring was found by Smeagol (Gollum). It consumed him but gave him unnatural long life. He lived for 500 years. Shadow rose
in the east. The ring’s time has now come. But Gollum lost the Ring, and it was found by a Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins of the Shire.

  TITLE: FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING

  60 years later. Introduction of the Protagonist : Frodo

  Frodo is reading a book under a tree. He hears a singing voice: the Wizard, Gandalf the Grey, rides in a cart. They stare at each other, then embrace.

  Images of the Shire: the Hobbit Community during a celebration. Happy Birthday Bilbo Baggins banner hangs over the town center. Gandalf is known as a “Disturber of the Peace.” Children love Gandalf. They run up to his cart. As he rides away he explodes fireworks. This is an idyllic Shire.

  Gandalf visits Bilbo Baggins. He goes inside the Hobbits house. Bilbo gets him some tea. Gandalf looks at a map of Middle-Earth. Bilbo wants to see mountains, find peace and quiet, and finish his book. Bilbo feels old. He means to leave the Shire and not return.

  Bilbo and Gandalf sit on the hillside and blow smoke rings into the night air. Bilbo blows a circle, and Gandalf blows a smoke boat which sails through the circle.

  The Shire celebrates. Frodo tells Sam to ask Rosie to dance. Merry and Pippin steal fireworks. They set off a Dragon Firework which flies high in the sky, then zooms down into the party. Gandalf grabs Merry and Pippin and reprimands them. They get to wash the dishes.

  Bilbo makes a speech. It is his 111 birthday. Bilbo puts his hand into his pocket and feels the ring. Gandalf sees him do this. Frodo watches Bilbo. Suddenly, Bilbo becomes invisible.

  Gandalf confronts Bilbo in his house and tells him not to treat magic lightly. Gandalf wants Bilbo to leave the ring with Frodo, but Bilbo does not want to give it up. Bilbo is angry. “It is mine, my precious. You want it for yourself!”

  “I am only trying to help you,” answers Gandalf. “Let it go. The ring must go to Frodo. The ring is still in your pocket.”

  Bilbo drops it onto the floor and then says about his book: “He lived happily ever after, to the end of his days.” Bilbo leaves.

  The Ring is on the floor.

  Gandalf tries to pick it up, but in a flash, he sees the Eye of Sauron. Frodo enters and picks up the Ring. Gandalf has him place it in an envelop. Gandalf has to leave. “Questions need to be answered. Keep the ring a secret.”

  Dark Tower. Mount Doom. Green Castle with Ringwraiths.

  Gandalf rides to Minas Tirith and reads old manuscripts which tell the story of the RING.

  Ringwraiths search for Baggins. Frodo is in the empty house. Gandalf runs in and throws the envelope with the ring into the fire. “What do you see?” Frodo sees Elfish markings. The Language of Mordor. “One Ring to Rule them All.” Forged by Lord Sauron in Mount Doom.

  Sauron’s body was destroyed, but his spirit endured. His life force is bound to the RING. Sauron’s spirit seeks the ring. The Ring and the Dark Lord are ONE!

  Gollum knew that Bilbo had the ring. He was tortured and gave the name of Baggins of the Shire to his tormentors.

  Frodo tries to give the Ring to Gandalf, but Gandalf refuses. They cannot keep the Ring in the Shire for it will bring destruction. Samwise Gamgee is listening to the conversation by the window. Gandalf pulls him into the room. His mission now is to help Frodo destroy the ring!

  “Never put the Ring on! Agents of the Dark Lord Sauron will sense it’s power. The Ring wants to be found!”

  They agree to meet at Bree. Gandalf sets off to consult the head of his order, Saruman, while Sam and Frodo embark for Bree.

  Frodo and Sam journey forth through the fields while the Ringwraiths search for Baggins. Gandalf rides to Isengard. He talks with Saruman, who tells him that the Spirit of Sauron is strong, but cannot yet take shape in a body. It is a great Eye in a Flame.

  Saruman looks into his crystal ball, the palantiri. Gandalf advises against this since all have not yet been found and someone else may be watching. It is a communications network.

  They will kill the one who carries the ring: Frodo.

  ”Against the power of Mordor, there will be no victory,” says Saruman. Gandalf realizes that Saruman has gone to the Dark Side and has betrayed him. He fights with him, but Saruman is too strong, and takes away Gandalf’s staff. With the two staffs, he tosses Gandalf up into the air to the top of the tower.

  Sam and Frodo walk through a cornfield, where they meet Merry and Pippin, who are being chased by a farmer for stealing his vegetables. They all run then fall down the side of a hill. Frodo senses something, and tells the others to get off the road. They hide under tree roots as a Ringwraith appears. He looks down, but does not see them. Frodo almost puts the Ring on his finger, but Sam stops him.

  They run through the forest chased by the Ringwraiths. They come to the ferry and start across the river. Frodo jumps onto the moving ferry. The Ringwraiths stop by the edge of the river then race 20 miles downstream where they can cross.

  It is raining. The Hobbits knock on the gate of Bree. They tell the guard they want to go to the Prancing Pony. In the pub, they ask the bartender if he has seen Gandalf. He has not seen him in six months. The Hobbits sit at a table and drink pints. A hooded man sitting in the corner has been watching Frodo. They ask a waiter who he is. He is the Ranger , Strider. Frodo then hears Merry at the bar tell people his companion’s name is Baggins. Frodo runs to the bar to stop him but trips and falls. The Ring flies into the air then lands on Frodo’s finger. Frodo becomes invisible.

  Ringwraiths scream for they hear the voice of the embodied Ring on Frodo’s finger.

  Frodo sees the Eye of Sauron.

  Ranger Strider drags Frodo away from the bar.

  Ringwraiths break down the gates to Bree.

  The Hobbits are seen sleeping in beds. The Ringwraiths enter a bedroom, stand over the beds with their swords drawn, and stab the bodies. They remove the sheets to show pillows. The Hobbits have moved and are spending the night with Ranger Strider. The Nazgul are controlled by Sauron and they will never stop searching for you,” says Strider.

  Rivendell. The home of the Elf King, Elrond. Saruman speaks into the crystal ball to Sauron. “The power of Isengard is at your command.” “Build an army worthy of Mordor,” answers Sauron. Saruman talks to an Orc. “We have work to do!” The Orcs cut down trees from the nearby forest. Gandalf is alone on the top of the tower. It rains on Gandalf.

  The Hobbits and Strider travel across the countryside toward Rivendell. They spend the night at an old Great Watch Tower. Frodo goes to sleep while Strider searches the countryside. Frodo awakes to find that the other Hobbits have lit a fire to cook food. Frodo yells at them, but it is too late. The Ringwraiths have seen the fire and are now approaching the tower from below. The Hobbits grab their swords to defend themselves. The Hobbits fight the Nazgul. Frodo puts on the Ring to become invisible, but the Nazgul see him, and he sees them. The leader of the Nazgul, the Witch-King, stabs Frodo in the shoulder. Strider returns and fights off the Nazgul using flame and sword, but Frodo has been stabbed by a Mordor sword and has been poisoned by evil. Strider carries Frodo away. Isengard builds an army of Orcs and Uruk-hai (a blend of Orcs and Goblins).

  A moth flies by Gandalf on the top of the tower (precursor of eagles). Sam looks for a plant to ease the wounds of Frodo. Arwen, the Elf, finds Aragorn. She wants to help Frodo. She places him on her horse and rides through the countryside. The Ringwraiths chase her. She rides to the river and challenges the Nazgul to cross. When they start, she calls upon the River Gods, who take the shape of White Horses as a raging river floods over the Nazgul. Arwen prays over the body of Frodo.

  Frodo awakes in a bed in Rivendell. Gandalf watches over him. Frodo asks why Gandalf did not meet them at the Prancing Pony in Bree. He tells Frodo of his fight with Saruman and how he was freed by an eagle from the top of the tower.

  Sam joins Frodo in Rivendell, along with Merry and Pippin. They meet Bilbo, who shows him his book: “There and Back Again.” Sam wants to return to the Shire and leave the Ring at Rivendell. That had been their mission. Now it is over. Fro
do agrees.

  Gandalf and Elrond discuss the Ring. Frodo is resistant to its powers. Elrond says that the Ring cannot stay in Rivendell. The Elves are not strong enough. Elrond tells the story of the weakness of men. He tried to get the last King of Gondor, Isildur, to throw the ring into the lava river of Mount Doom, but he was too weak.

  Gandalf: “There is one who can reclaim the throne of Gondor.” He is thinking of Aragorn (the RangerStrider).

  Elrond: “He has abandoned that path and chosen exile!”

  Arwen and Aragorn are lovers at Rivendell. Arwen pledges her love for him, and chooses a mortal life. Gathering of the Fellowship. Frodo places the Ring on the stump in the center of the council. Boromir argues that the Ring should be given to Gondor to fight the Orcs. “You cannot use the Ring, it will destroy you. It must be destroyed!” says Gandalf.

  Gimli, the Dwarf, tries to destroy the Ring with his axe but only shatters the blade of the axe.

  The Ring must be cast back into Mount Doom from where it was forged. They all argue about the Ring, and who should have it.

  Frodo says “I will take it to Mordor!”

  The Fellowship of the Ring agree. Frodo will carry the Ring.

  Bilbo gives Frodo his sword and armor. He then grabs for the ring, but stops, and says he is sorry. The Fellowship sets out on their journey to Mordor. They climb along a mountain range. Boromir teaches the Hobbits how to fight with swords. They hide from a flock of birds who are spies for Saruman. They decide to take the road through the mountains instead of through the Mines of Moria which Gandalf fears.

  They climb across ice-covered mountain trails. Frodo drops the Ring on his chain. Boromir picks it up, desires to keep it, but gives it back to Frodo.

  The birds return to the caverns of Saruman. Gandalf treks deep in the snow. Saruman tries to bring the mountain down upon the Fellowship. Snow and rocks fall upon them. They argue about the path. Gandalf says “Let the Ring Bearer decide.” Frodo chooses the path through the Mines of Moria. Gandalf is afraid.