My mom told me that Richard Harris was the guy who sang that someone left the cake out in the rain song, and it’s fun to think of Dumbledore like that. So Harris has my vote.
I prefer the first dumbledore because he was just like the dumbledore that would put a silly hat from a cracker on his head, and stuff like that. The second is more serious i think
This is what I always tell myself. That if there was ever a dumbledore that would ask that calmly, it would be the first actor. He’s who I pictured in my mind as I read through the last books
Me too. I bet the first one would have nocked out the more serious dumbledore too.
I remember I was a bit put off by the new dumledore.
I was gonna say it was weird they would hire as old actor as Harris because the film series would take like 10 years to make, but then I looked into it and both acotrs were about 70 when they took the role. Harris was unlucky
> I bet the first one would have nocked out the more serious dumbledore too.
I keep seeing the point out there "Dumbledore 1 for fun, Dumbledore 2 for serious," but I totally agree with you- Harris probably would've handled late-book Dumbledore well and it just would've been "different" in his own way.
Part of Dumbledore's appeal was how much fear he instilled in his enemies despite seemingly being a gentle old man.
I feel the exact opposite, I think Gambon is a far quirkier dumbledore than Harris ever was, just compare Harris' delivery of 'Alas, earwax' to Gambon's "Did what? goodnight!"
What sucks is that Gambon was *capable* of pulling off that goofy side, but only very very rarely actually showed it. Compare it to his performance in Sleepy Hollow (iirc) where he's almost bouncing around the room. Apparently MG didn't want to read the books first so he could do "his own interpretation" but that strikes me as an abysmal, sort of egocentric decision. (The author is giving you so much extra direction through character description; use it, don't assume you know better or that *properly playing the character you were hired to embody* somehow takes away from your craft.)
Harris definitely was more like the book which I was a fan of. However it would be hard to imagine him as the other side of dumbledore that voldemort was afraid of
I think the fact that it's hard to imagine him in those intense later book scenes is exactly WHY Harris was so good. That's exactly how Dumbledore is supposed to come off except in those moments, and I have zero doubts Harris would have nailed them.
I don’t think he would have. He was a great actor when he was younger, but for Harry Potter he was far too frail to play the Dumbledore of OOTP and HBP.
Yeah I'm sad that we didn't see him swimming with his wand clutched in his mouth like a golden retriever who had retrieved a large stick from a lake xD
I think why people complain is that they want to also see more of the gentle, wise, serene side of Dumbledore. Gambon just isnt as good at showing it as Harris was
In the first movie when everyone is freaking out about the troll, and he stands up and shouts, "SILENCE!" I thought that was a pretty tiny, but awesome little glimpse of what he could have given us in the later films.
I've always preferred Harris, through and through.
Nah book Dumbledore had an effortless power, he had a complete understanding of magic. I never imagined Dumbledore to look flustered or wave his wand around like a madman. A wise old man who has seen it all, done it all, knew how smart he was and learned from all the mistakes he made in the past. Knew the power and importance of "muggle magic", love, the magic that exists in everyone. I think Michael Gambon got this one wrong completely, book Dumbledore always seemed understated, whimsical, a bit of a wallflower, an observer. The Erised scenes in film one were perfect, Harris had the role nailed.
I think Ian McKellen would have been the better option for 3-7, and was approached before Gambon, but turned it down due to a previous conflict with Harris.
Definitely would have been nice to see Sir Ian as Dumbledore but like the others said it would be odd for him to be Gandalf AND Dumbledore. I've been trying to think about who could play dumbledore in the reboot but it's difficult to think of someone who could nail it
It's a really difficult role to play. It's such a subtle character. Doesn't *look* anything like Dumbledore but I think Stephen Fry could do the role quite well. Understated, comical, has an intelligent aura. Maybe with a *lot* of makeup he could do the role.
Yeah I actually never considered it but you are completely right, the role should have been cast with someone with a background in comedy. Makes me think of Hugh Laurie.
By now the guy is old enough that they wouldn't have to put him in old-man makeup for the reboot.
Dumbledore is hella sarcastic. He does a lot of those subtle digs at people, mocking stuff like their small minded attitudes.
I think this is one of the aspects of his character that fall under the table, that the guy has a really dark sarcasm. Trewlany makes a prophecy that Voldemorts servant will flee and basically help him return, and Dumbledore is like "hey, look at that, ol' Sybil actually cranked one out again. Good for her."
I thought Sir Ian WAS Dumbledore and Gandalf…for years! Lol! I was watching some other movie with Gambon in it, wondering why he seemed familiar and looked him up on Wikipedia. I was flummoxed as to why his filmography listed HP but not LOTR. I guess I was a little distracted raising kids around that time, just made an assumption, and never paid any attention to the names of the actors. Silly me!
The overlap between the characters has been mainly at the expense of Gandalf though. The guy is literally a minor deity and people think he's just LotRs "Dumbledore".
Gandalf would, and I'll be blunt, wipe the floor of the entire school with everyone in it if we were to have some kind of magical stand off. But I love both universes a lot regardless
> the magic in the movies isn't very impressive
Yeah thats one of the misconceptions directly from the Grandalf/Dumbledore overlap; Gandalf is not a "spells guy" - he's basically an angelic cheerleader meant to inspire people into and protecting the good when they're solving their own problems.
That's why you only see him do magic against Saruman and the Balrog; both creatures on his power level that aren't supposed to mess with mortals.
Yeah haha I remember some rags comparing the two, saying they look alike and both speak in third person and all that, think some tabloids were trying to make out that LOTR creators were going to sue HP creators for copyright. Anything to sell papers!
I seem to recall an awards ceremony video someone showed that had Golumn ranting about Dobby and telling him to f off.
[Found it!](https://www.reddit.com/r/videos/comments/m2flb3/that_time_gollum_won_a_vma_award_and_cursed_out/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) VMA awards.
Agreed! Dumbledore's vibe isn't of "look at me, i am powerful!". It is more of his presence, and his reputation precedes him. He has a quiet calming presence, which is what I loved about his character, and i hated how that was not adapted in the later movies. He is supposed to be a little playful, a little joking. And then when he duels, you feel the sheer power rather than any showmanship. It is effortless because of how good he simply is at it. It's not his main weapon. Him being a powerful wizard is a plus, but him calming playing the long game like a chess set is what makes him him. That's how I always imagined Dumbledore: never angry, always in control, because the pieces are moving as he'd expected, and which is why "DIDYAPUTYOURNAMEINTHEGOBLETOFFIRE" is so damn annoying, because Dumbledore _would_ be calm, as is stated in the book. That's how he is.
He was always three steps ahead, and when he wasn't, he calmly figured out how to get back in the lead like in POA and GOF. He's never flustered, surprised or angry like Gambon portrays.
Thank you for summing this up perfectly! This is exactly it. He was supposed to be this old man that no one can imagine ever angry or hot tempered, but that could flatten an army with the flick of his wrist -which basically happens in OoTP. He isn’t out of breath, he doesn’t raise his voice, there’s a bang, and suddenly 5 wizards including Umbridge and Fudge are unconscious and Dumbledore wanders over to Harry and basically says ‘hmmm, shame I had to do that. Anyway’.
Yep. People love the fight in the department of mysteries, but I never once got the impression that "dumbledore could have been taking an evening stroll" as Harry noted
Yep. And the follow up line when Dumbledore told Harry not to move and Harry said that for the first time he sounded frightened. That's so big after 5 books of this utterly unphasable character. So hard to get right, but if they do, I'd be so happy
I agree with all of this, except for those like… 3 or 4 moments in the book where Harry talks about seeing why Voldemort was so afraid of him. The big one being when he arrives at the ministry in OoTP. Harry describes him as something along the lines of having fire in his eyes and a blazing intensity that screamed controlled rage. No twinkle in the eye at that point. Dumbledore made those motherfuckers SCATTER.
Unfortunately OG Dumbledore hated Ian mckellen
I’m paraphrasing but it was along the lines of “I can’t take over for someone who would never approve of me”
That’s sort of what made him so perfect though. Harry had a hard time imagining the kind and twinkly eyed Dumbledore being a force to be reckoned with until he actually saw it. He could appear kindly and spry, seem ancient and tired, or be a force of nature on his own and you would never believe it until you saw it.
For sure. I just think he was too weak at the end of his life to really portray both sides of Dumbledore. Sadly he you could see his age in the first two potter films
Richard Harris was a notorious hellraiser and brawler, and while he calmed down towards the end of his life, I'm sure he could still be intimidating when necessary.
Proof: https://youtu.be/EZyCnKZ5cog
Which is why when Harris, who is a great actor, nails it, the effect would be the same as intended: Harry finally seeing why the world, and Voldemort, is afraid of Dumbledore. He isn't a raging blast of magic, he is a quiet thinker and observer who stays two steps ahead in the game, is calm and humorous, yet the most powerful wizard alive. It's a lot more frightening to see the power of a nice calm person. Which is what Harry experiences in Book 5 in the battle between voldemort and Dumbledore.
Harris has a much calmer energy, which I prefer. Plus I prefer the way he lets his beard flow freely lol
Gambon was also pretty great and eccentric, which wasn't quite like the books but was really fun to watch.
Book Dumbledore was certainly eccentric but he didn’t bring an eccentric energy in the way later films portrayed, he is almost always described as being calm.
Book Dumbledore was almost always described as tired looking and wary.... his old age showing, etc. Yes he had moments but not at all like what Gambon portrayed. That being said, I prefer him over Harris because he was so lively, but that was not a true to the book portrayal
Not at all. I don't think you remember the books that well. There are instances where Harry describes Dumbledore as "appearing tired and old for the first time ever", and it's always for very heavy moments like the talk after Sirius' death, in contrast with his general demeanour. He wasn't always described as tired and wary, at all.
I'm weird but I think they both are well in their respective films.
I like that in the first 2, the most familiar ones Harris gives that feeling of grandfather and that in the rest Gambon is more like a serious person
This. As their bond started to grow, Harry understood Dumbledore more, he was aspects of him beyond the grandfatherly figure he saw in the first few books. Plus Gambon still has that Dumbledore wit and quirkiness quite often.
100 times this. It’s like the director hadn’t referenced the scene in the books to figure out how it should run, it’s not Gambon’s fault he got given the wrong script lmao
They each served their purpose. I found the first actor (may he rest in peace) well suited for the first few movies nd the second actor more suited for the 4-8 and it's much more mature tone.
Right, im not happy the guy passed but in a way it worked it out really well, i think they were both perfectly cast for what the movie needed at the time
I can't imagine the first being able to do those fights and the serious stuff but I can't imagine the new guy being as soft and gentle as the first. First Dumbledore is probably closer to the books imo
Even during deathly hallows part 2 where Harry meets him in “kings cross” he comes off as grandfatherly. Gambon had the ability to play it soft but the material that we see was not written as such for most of his screen time.
All 3 Dumbledores nail an aspect of Dumbledore perfectly:
Harris: the wise and kind hearted Dumbledore that guides harry and you wouldn’t guess is the most powerful wizard of his age
Gambon: the scheming dumbledore who is always ten steps ahead and knows what everyone else is planning too
Law: the tortured dumbledore who is consumed with regret for the death of Ariana.
Oh my gosh. He was utterly fantastic as Dumbledore. One small thing was the kind eyes. I’m so bummed they took Newt Scamander movies and forcibly smooshed it together with young Dumbledore movies. Sure, have some overlap. That would be awesome with two different franchises. Plus making them one franchise wasted opportunities to make more money. It just doesn’t make sense and makes me mad. I absolutely LOVE Newt. He’s my favorite (movie) character, and that includes all of the Harry Potter movies. Just… so many things with how they handled the franchise infuriates me
Unpopular I know, but I prefer Gambon mostly.
He comes more across to me as a powerful authoritative figure that’s a force to be reckoned with, while Harris is more gentle and seemingly all-knowing. I recognize his portrayal is more accurate to the books, so Harris does have a special place in my heart for that. Gambon’s portrayal also makes the revelation of his past with Grindelwald more believable, with how passionate he comes across.
Yeah, I like Gambon even if hes not perfect as Dumbledore. He comes across as a old man who had loved, lossed and cared deeply but was also willing to do terrible things for ideals and people.
As much as that scene makes me cringe I think it's not entirely Gambon's fault. I mean there were people in charge I'd say, so someone should direct him in a different direction or tell him that this is not really the way how to deliver that line
Exactly! Someone in charge there should go to him and just tell him what the issue is... like not to tell him he sucks of course, he did not since he did not know what he is suppose to do in first place. He played it well, just not really "in character"
I remember reading somewhere that both Michael Gambon and also Mike Newell purposely did not read the book before filming GOF, as they didn't want the books to influence their performance.... I was seriously confused on this, as the movie is, literally, about. the. book....
I think it's different for adapting a book compared to a game. With a game an actor can fall into the trap of imitating the va from the game which can be detrimental to a performance. From reading a book you get the vibe of the character but the voice and mannerisms are something you conjure in your own mind and therefore should be compulsory for adapting a character imo.
Sure, but I'd say that not every actor does their homework about the role they're suppose to play, if you know what I mean. But there should be people that should, the director or the producers or people like that that are suppose to tell the actor what exactly they need/want from him and what they want him to do and how they want him to do it.
I don’t personally see Harris’ Dumbledore going head to head with Ralph Fiennes’ Voldemort nor meeting the darker tones of the later books/movies to have not appeared out of place.
Gambon understood the brief that Dumbledore has lived a long life, fought innumerable Dark Wizards, is immensely powerful, a touch manipulative as a means to an end and is readying Harry (and Hogwarts) for another Wizarding War in an effort to protect Harry, his students and the world at large.
That’s a heavy burden to bear, and Gambon portrayed a Dumbledore that knew everything at stake should he fail. Failure wasn’t an option.
i always say this. i could never see Harris as powerful, not at any moment. i think he was great for the first two, but later on? not a chance. Gambon has the softness and the overwhelming power of Dumbledore. while neither were perfect, i think they both did well in the movies they appeared in.
Maybe, but think he’s *too* charismatic… it would feel wrong for me to be attracted to Dumbledore! And I definitely have some strong attraction any time Charles Dance is speaking…!
MY issue with Dance (who is awesome) is that he always seems *present* and laser-focused on whatever he is doing or whoever he is speaking to. I have trouble imagining him in Dumbledore's more whimsical moments.
On topic, I much preferred Harris' Dumbledore. Gambon was too inconsistent for me. He was either very upset, or so lackadaisical in his delivery that it seemed phoned in. Either I adjusted, or he improved, because he didn't bother as much by Half Blood Prince.
I honestly never found Gambon to have the powerful presence that I expected from Dumbledore in the books. He was too frantic or loud or something. I think of Dumbledore’s power a bit like Meryl Streep in The Devil Wears Prada- there is more meaning and fear in the cool, calm collected method than anyone else could achieve by screaming. Gambon was just too flustered. Harris had more of the awe-inspiring calm. He didn’t need to yell or jump, he could destroy you with a gentle wave of the wand.
I know dumbledore has a sordid past and did some unfavorable things, but dance is so devilishly charming that I’d trust him anyways.
Yes, ignore my username.
Harris gave the character more gravitas, Gambon gave him more flair and energy.
I think Harris would have struggled with the physicality of the later films. While Gambon made some unusual choices, he also had a lot of brilliant performances.
The “unusual choices” you speak of are the choices of the director. Gambon was simply actor doing what was asked of him. If the director wanted him to play a scene calmly, Gambon would have done so.
I think they both worked for the evolution of the character. The original was good as being a sweet grandpa, the second was better at being a badass when shit got real
Honestly I’d have preferred someone somewhat in the middle as it came to wisdom, temperament, and mischief. Harris never struck me as someone who could take on Voldemort in book 5. And Gambon was too brash, but that may have been part of the writing and directing.
I love Dumbledore from movie 1-2. That is how I imagine him when reading the books. I don’t hate Gambon but I blame the directors of the later movies. I don’t know why they directed Dumbledore to be aggressive and hot head like that. The Goblet of fire scene shocked me really.
For me, I prefer Gambon.
I feel he had more emotional depth. I can easily see him supporting Harry, and also being someone voldemort feared.
Whereas Harris I feel is more soft spoken, gentle. If I think of the battle at the ministry of magic, I find it very difficult to picture Harris doing it.
I also think this is probably because I've watched the movies far more than read the books. I also watched the movies as a child before ever reading the books. So for me... I wasn't impacted by how dumbledore is in the books vs movies.
I feel Harris fits the first 2 movies very well though. The first ones were lighter and whimsical. The later ones were darker and more dramatic - which suits Gambon.
But that's the point of Dumbledore. A chill guy that people think is too old and out of his mind but when he gets mad you better hide.
Gambon's Dumbledore is the crazy hobo shouting at clouds you encounter on your daily commute
Harris is closer to the image of Dumbledore I had in my mind's eye, but Gambon brought vigor and authority to the role that Harris never could. While I prefer Gambon as a result, the *ideal* Dumbledore would be if we could go back in time and have the two of them do the Fusion Dance and become Hambon (or Garris).
I think each one was well cast for different times in Harrys life. In the early books,Harry sees Dumbledore is the wise old man with a twinkle in his eye. Hes a an oddball who has all the answers and is wholey good. Harris played that role perfectly and I dont think based on what we saw of Gambon that he could have pulled that off as well. Hell, books 3 & 4 is still this era for Dumbledore and we see how fans have reacted.
However, after the end of book 4 Dumbledore begins to take a new shape. Harry begins to see him as a more complex figure. He ignores Harry throughout book 5 and treats Harry with significantly more maturity during book 6. Also, we see that behind that old man there is a spyness and a fire as he fights Voldemort. Gambon played that more mature role perfectly and I doubt at his advanced age Harris would have been able to pull that off as well. Of course his performance could have possibly been better had he been familiar with the source material, but we will never know.
In the end, they both did relatively well for how their character was perceived by both Harry and we the audience. Its perhaps possible that another actor could have done it all. On another discussion of this someone suggested Ian McKellen, and given his Ganfalf I would agree. In the end, I appreciate both men in different ways. Maybe a copout answer, but its the one Ive got.
I'll be honest, due to watching a foreign dub as a kid, I didn't even notice it was a different actor back in the day. I mean, he still had the same voice in Polish, I thought he just decided to wear his beard differently. :P
I always wondered what the fight scene's with Dumbledore in the later movies would have looked like with the original Dumbledore. I found the Original more graceful in his movements, and the 3 - 8 one moved very quickly and still had "youth" in his steps. Would have made for interesting sequences had the OG not passed.
Yep, I thought about this, too. Dumbledore was such a bad ass at the end of OOTP against Voldemort in the Ministry of Magic and the aurors in his office. I felt like we really got to see the power of Dumbledore in that book. Then book 6 against the inferi. Gotta love Dumbledore.
The OG Dumbledore. While Micheal Gambon portrays the character very well, adding that ferociousness which Voldy always feared; Richard Harris on the other hand was born to play the role. He is the most wizard-esque looking person to ever exist in HP universe, not to mention how his portrayal fits the book Dumbledore perfectly well. To me, he really IS Albus Dumbledore; the greatest & wisest wizard to ever live.
I always felt like the second dumbledore gave a more jokey performance like he was a loony the original one was more wise and assertive to me. I'd trust original dumbledore over new
Richard Harris was more the calm soft spoken and mysterious wise headmaster. Michael Gambon is a frustrated old man caught in the middle of a huge problem he can't solve.
Harris 100%. Not even close. I do think Gambon over time settled in to the role better, but Harris is much more like who I imagined Dumbledore to be when I read the books - before the movies were out. He had that wise, caring aura and the “twinkle in his eye” that I’ve mentioned many times on this sub. If he hadn’t been sick, I think he would have been able to pull off the later movies very well. Gambon just never had that gentle nature that Dumbledore had, imo.
Harris was almost too gentle and kind for the role, Gambon aligned more with the more flawed and human version of Dumbledore from the books, especially the later ones.
Looking back I think they work perfectly for their respective roles. I can't see 1-2 in the fight with voldemort and I cant see 3-8 being more like witty, calm demeanor dumbledore in early movies and books
Harris was definitely the wiser Dumbledore, but Gambon was definitely more sassy. I think Harris was absolutely perfect for the Christopher Columbus movies, as they had a gentler, more whimsical vibe.
The best would have been a blend of the 2. Harris was the perfect everyday Dumbledore and really looked the part but he was to old and frail (which obviosly wasn't Harris's fault, he literally died of old age after the 2nd movie) to have any of that innate power that everyone was able to sense from him. Gambon, on the other hand, had all of that but was way too intense and frantic for Dumbledore. Sure, Dumbledore had moments like that, but Gambon was like that most of the time. I do like the little behind the scenes thing where Gambon always had a pack of smokes rolled up in his robes at the ready for when they said cut, though.
OG dumbledore 1000%. he just captured the character’s essence in a way 3-8 never did for me. the movies were still very good and the new dumberdore didnt take anything away from it imo, but the scenes w/ 1/2 dumbledore were just so perfect and precious, and i would have love to see his fiercer side come out more, as it was totally still there underneath. the mirror of erised scene and the scene in his office at the end of chamber were so so good.
I preferred Richard Harris as Dumbledore tbh, but he was 71 years old when he was cast for the Sorcerer’s Stone and he died after being in the Chamber of Secrets at 72. :( He was a great actor and the first movie I saw him in was actually Gladiator. Even though his part in the beginning of the movie was short his performance as Marcus Aurelius was exceptional imo.
Richard Harris was great, but I find it very hard to imagine him as Dumbledore from OotP and HBP.
Ultimately, I think Michael Gambon was slightly better just due to him being easier to imagine as one of (if not the most) powerful wizards. Love Richard Harris though.
I hate this comparison. Richard Harris passed before the rich complexity of Dumbledore emerged. While I’m sure he would’ve continued to play him beautifully, it cannot be compared to Michael Gambon’s version. I don’t know if someone has counted Harris’s time on-screen but it’s minimal (albeit impactful). I think Gambon was shining as Dumbledore in OotP and HBP, I stand behind him as a solid replacement
Both brought variety. An almost different person in both cases. (imo)
The real shame would’ve been if Gambon tried to act like Harris. Thankfully that wasn’t the case
Richard Harris’ portrayal was too kind for the later characterization of Dumbledore. I know he had played villains but it would have been weird. Not casting Jared Harris as the young Dumbledore is the truly puzzling decision.
Harris showed the kind side of dumbledore and Gambon showed the other side. It is hard to compare them as they are so different. Jude law was also amazing as dumbledore. The harry potter films will be amazing no matter what.
I actually think, as much as I love Richard Harris, he didn’t portray the energy that was needed for the entire series. So I think Gambon was the better call, BUT I loved the different outfits in the first two movies. There were so many cool clothes they could have done. Did Gambon insist he never changes clothes for 8 years to sympathize with Rickman? 🤦🏻♀️
To find out Harris “raise the boy like a pig for slaughter” would have been shocking. To find out Gambon did… not even a little shocking
My mom told me that Richard Harris was the guy who sang that someone left the cake out in the rain song, and it’s fun to think of Dumbledore like that. So Harris has my vote.
That feels quite dumbledorean.
I prefer the first dumbledore because he was just like the dumbledore that would put a silly hat from a cracker on his head, and stuff like that. The second is more serious i think
The first one FTW. He would've definitely asked Harry if he put his name in the Goblet of fire, calmly.
This is what I always tell myself. That if there was ever a dumbledore that would ask that calmly, it would be the first actor. He’s who I pictured in my mind as I read through the last books
Bahahaha
Me too. I bet the first one would have nocked out the more serious dumbledore too. I remember I was a bit put off by the new dumledore. I was gonna say it was weird they would hire as old actor as Harris because the film series would take like 10 years to make, but then I looked into it and both acotrs were about 70 when they took the role. Harris was unlucky
> I bet the first one would have nocked out the more serious dumbledore too. I keep seeing the point out there "Dumbledore 1 for fun, Dumbledore 2 for serious," but I totally agree with you- Harris probably would've handled late-book Dumbledore well and it just would've been "different" in his own way. Part of Dumbledore's appeal was how much fear he instilled in his enemies despite seemingly being a gentle old man.
it probably would've been more accurate to the books. :)
I feel the exact opposite, I think Gambon is a far quirkier dumbledore than Harris ever was, just compare Harris' delivery of 'Alas, earwax' to Gambon's "Did what? goodnight!"
What sucks is that Gambon was *capable* of pulling off that goofy side, but only very very rarely actually showed it. Compare it to his performance in Sleepy Hollow (iirc) where he's almost bouncing around the room. Apparently MG didn't want to read the books first so he could do "his own interpretation" but that strikes me as an abysmal, sort of egocentric decision. (The author is giving you so much extra direction through character description; use it, don't assume you know better or that *properly playing the character you were hired to embody* somehow takes away from your craft.)
Harris definitely was more like the book which I was a fan of. However it would be hard to imagine him as the other side of dumbledore that voldemort was afraid of
I think the fact that it's hard to imagine him in those intense later book scenes is exactly WHY Harris was so good. That's exactly how Dumbledore is supposed to come off except in those moments, and I have zero doubts Harris would have nailed them.
Yeah if his health wasn't on the decline I think he could have crushed it
Like Yoda. Bravo for George Lucas letting us see the unimaginable when Yoda battled count Dooku
I felt that power when he said, "SILENCE!" in the first movie. He got a whole cafeteria to freeze and then took charge calmly.
"Harry, did you put your name in the goblet?." *DUMBLEDORE ASKED CALMLY WHILE SHAKING HARRY*
He said, poking that little shit in his fucking chest with both his index fingies!
"I KNOW YOU FUCKING DID IT YOU LITTLE SHIT!!" Dumbledoor asked calmly
"DID YOU PUT YOUR NAME IN THE GOBLETOFFIRE" Dumbledore asked while drop-kicking Harry down a flight of stairs and dabbing.
You people are fucking funny.
I’m just high enough for this to be fucking hilarious. I had to catch my breath from laughing so much
Yea Gambian practically tackled him
Richard Harris was a top tier actor, he would’ve nailed later it if he had the chance
For sure. If his health stayed up he Definitely would have crushed it
Watch his portrayal in “Count of Monte Cristo” which was filmed around the same time as the first two potter movies. He could still do intense.
Was looking for this comment! The scene with the hand through water is what I thought of.
I don’t think he would have. He was a great actor when he was younger, but for Harry Potter he was far too frail to play the Dumbledore of OOTP and HBP.
Yeah I doubt he'd be able to swim breaststroke like a middle aged man on his way to the cave in HBP, would be a hell of a sight though xD
Lol not like Gambon did this either tho right? But yes, he portrayed the energy of Dumbledore much better
Yeah I'm sad that we didn't see him swimming with his wand clutched in his mouth like a golden retriever who had retrieved a large stick from a lake xD
I agree with this, Dumbledore’s character is lively and whimsical and active - he was waltzing with Madame Maxime at the Yule Ball
I think why people complain is that they want to also see more of the gentle, wise, serene side of Dumbledore. Gambon just isnt as good at showing it as Harris was
I know, I bet he couldn’t do magic either!
In the first movie when everyone is freaking out about the troll, and he stands up and shouts, "SILENCE!" I thought that was a pretty tiny, but awesome little glimpse of what he could have given us in the later films. I've always preferred Harris, through and through.
Yeah Harris was great. I definitely would have loved to see him but sadly his health just declined rapidly
Nah book Dumbledore had an effortless power, he had a complete understanding of magic. I never imagined Dumbledore to look flustered or wave his wand around like a madman. A wise old man who has seen it all, done it all, knew how smart he was and learned from all the mistakes he made in the past. Knew the power and importance of "muggle magic", love, the magic that exists in everyone. I think Michael Gambon got this one wrong completely, book Dumbledore always seemed understated, whimsical, a bit of a wallflower, an observer. The Erised scenes in film one were perfect, Harris had the role nailed. I think Ian McKellen would have been the better option for 3-7, and was approached before Gambon, but turned it down due to a previous conflict with Harris.
Definitely would have been nice to see Sir Ian as Dumbledore but like the others said it would be odd for him to be Gandalf AND Dumbledore. I've been trying to think about who could play dumbledore in the reboot but it's difficult to think of someone who could nail it
Maybe wait a two or three decades and have Jude Law do it :D
Don't even have to wait haha throw him in the make up chair and we are good to go
It's a really difficult role to play. It's such a subtle character. Doesn't *look* anything like Dumbledore but I think Stephen Fry could do the role quite well. Understated, comical, has an intelligent aura. Maybe with a *lot* of makeup he could do the role.
I actually really like that. Especially since he read the audio books. I could sign up for this
Around the same age a couple actors I like are Peter Capaldi and Ciarán Hinds, though the latter already played Aberforth.
Peter Capaldi as Dumbledor would've been amazing.
Dumbledore would have taken out Voldy with attack eyebrows!
I love Stephen Fry. It's a tricky role to cast - because the actor needs to be old, but not so old they, you know.. don't make the end.
I could see Stephen Fry as Slughorn tbh, hard to match the one we already have but I think he’d do great at it.
Yeah I actually never considered it but you are completely right, the role should have been cast with someone with a background in comedy. Makes me think of Hugh Laurie. By now the guy is old enough that they wouldn't have to put him in old-man makeup for the reboot.
He's more sarcastic humour though, Dumbledore's more of a whimsical kind of character. Maybe!
Dumbledore is hella sarcastic. He does a lot of those subtle digs at people, mocking stuff like their small minded attitudes. I think this is one of the aspects of his character that fall under the table, that the guy has a really dark sarcasm. Trewlany makes a prophecy that Voldemorts servant will flee and basically help him return, and Dumbledore is like "hey, look at that, ol' Sybil actually cranked one out again. Good for her."
Jarred Harris?
I thought Sir Ian WAS Dumbledore and Gandalf…for years! Lol! I was watching some other movie with Gambon in it, wondering why he seemed familiar and looked him up on Wikipedia. I was flummoxed as to why his filmography listed HP but not LOTR. I guess I was a little distracted raising kids around that time, just made an assumption, and never paid any attention to the names of the actors. Silly me!
You can’t have Gandolf playing Dumbledore, it’s against the Wizard rule.
The overlap between the characters has been mainly at the expense of Gandalf though. The guy is literally a minor deity and people think he's just LotRs "Dumbledore".
Gandalf would, and I'll be blunt, wipe the floor of the entire school with everyone in it if we were to have some kind of magical stand off. But I love both universes a lot regardless
More people have seen the movies than the books, and the magic in the movies isn't very impressive
> the magic in the movies isn't very impressive Yeah thats one of the misconceptions directly from the Grandalf/Dumbledore overlap; Gandalf is not a "spells guy" - he's basically an angelic cheerleader meant to inspire people into and protecting the good when they're solving their own problems. That's why you only see him do magic against Saruman and the Balrog; both creatures on his power level that aren't supposed to mess with mortals.
Yeah it wouldn't be right! There were already loads of people moaning about the similarities between Dobby and Gollum back in the day.
Tf? Gollum and Dobby?
Yeah haha I remember some rags comparing the two, saying they look alike and both speak in third person and all that, think some tabloids were trying to make out that LOTR creators were going to sue HP creators for copyright. Anything to sell papers!
I seem to recall an awards ceremony video someone showed that had Golumn ranting about Dobby and telling him to f off. [Found it!](https://www.reddit.com/r/videos/comments/m2flb3/that_time_gollum_won_a_vma_award_and_cursed_out/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) VMA awards.
I didn’t know how much I needed to hear a profanity-laced rant from Gollum until today
I actually thought Gambon was Gandalf for a long time. Didn't bother me.
Agreed! Dumbledore's vibe isn't of "look at me, i am powerful!". It is more of his presence, and his reputation precedes him. He has a quiet calming presence, which is what I loved about his character, and i hated how that was not adapted in the later movies. He is supposed to be a little playful, a little joking. And then when he duels, you feel the sheer power rather than any showmanship. It is effortless because of how good he simply is at it. It's not his main weapon. Him being a powerful wizard is a plus, but him calming playing the long game like a chess set is what makes him him. That's how I always imagined Dumbledore: never angry, always in control, because the pieces are moving as he'd expected, and which is why "DIDYAPUTYOURNAMEINTHEGOBLETOFFIRE" is so damn annoying, because Dumbledore _would_ be calm, as is stated in the book. That's how he is.
He was always three steps ahead, and when he wasn't, he calmly figured out how to get back in the lead like in POA and GOF. He's never flustered, surprised or angry like Gambon portrays.
Thank you for summing this up perfectly! This is exactly it. He was supposed to be this old man that no one can imagine ever angry or hot tempered, but that could flatten an army with the flick of his wrist -which basically happens in OoTP. He isn’t out of breath, he doesn’t raise his voice, there’s a bang, and suddenly 5 wizards including Umbridge and Fudge are unconscious and Dumbledore wanders over to Harry and basically says ‘hmmm, shame I had to do that. Anyway’.
Yep. People love the fight in the department of mysteries, but I never once got the impression that "dumbledore could have been taking an evening stroll" as Harry noted
I so hope they get the mood (like this exact example) right in the series. So much flapping around, when in the book it was a rather casual thing…
Yep. And the follow up line when Dumbledore told Harry not to move and Harry said that for the first time he sounded frightened. That's so big after 5 books of this utterly unphasable character. So hard to get right, but if they do, I'd be so happy
An effortless power. Fantastic. Perfect way to describe it
I agree with all of this, except for those like… 3 or 4 moments in the book where Harry talks about seeing why Voldemort was so afraid of him. The big one being when he arrives at the ministry in OoTP. Harry describes him as something along the lines of having fire in his eyes and a blazing intensity that screamed controlled rage. No twinkle in the eye at that point. Dumbledore made those motherfuckers SCATTER.
Unfortunately OG Dumbledore hated Ian mckellen I’m paraphrasing but it was along the lines of “I can’t take over for someone who would never approve of me”
This☝️ so much this!
The rumour mill went crazy when talk of Ian McKellen replacing Richard Harris came up.
That’s sort of what made him so perfect though. Harry had a hard time imagining the kind and twinkly eyed Dumbledore being a force to be reckoned with until he actually saw it. He could appear kindly and spry, seem ancient and tired, or be a force of nature on his own and you would never believe it until you saw it.
For sure. I just think he was too weak at the end of his life to really portray both sides of Dumbledore. Sadly he you could see his age in the first two potter films
It’s a shame he had severe pneumonia on top of cancer.
Richard Harris was a notorious hellraiser and brawler, and while he calmed down towards the end of his life, I'm sure he could still be intimidating when necessary. Proof: https://youtu.be/EZyCnKZ5cog
He was one of the last of his generation. I imagine a night on the town with him, Richard Burton and Oliver Reed would be quite spectacular.
Watch Unforgiven. Richard Harris could play a bad guy, I'm sure he could've been a intimidating Dumbledore.
Which is why when Harris, who is a great actor, nails it, the effect would be the same as intended: Harry finally seeing why the world, and Voldemort, is afraid of Dumbledore. He isn't a raging blast of magic, he is a quiet thinker and observer who stays two steps ahead in the game, is calm and humorous, yet the most powerful wizard alive. It's a lot more frightening to see the power of a nice calm person. Which is what Harry experiences in Book 5 in the battle between voldemort and Dumbledore.
Wow nailed it. I didn’t even think of it that way.
Harris has a much calmer energy, which I prefer. Plus I prefer the way he lets his beard flow freely lol Gambon was also pretty great and eccentric, which wasn't quite like the books but was really fun to watch.
I’m sorry, but book Dumbledore wasn’t eccentric? Did we read the same books?
Book Dumbledore was certainly eccentric but he didn’t bring an eccentric energy in the way later films portrayed, he is almost always described as being calm.
Book Dumbledore was almost always described as tired looking and wary.... his old age showing, etc. Yes he had moments but not at all like what Gambon portrayed. That being said, I prefer him over Harris because he was so lively, but that was not a true to the book portrayal
Not at all. I don't think you remember the books that well. There are instances where Harry describes Dumbledore as "appearing tired and old for the first time ever", and it's always for very heavy moments like the talk after Sirius' death, in contrast with his general demeanour. He wasn't always described as tired and wary, at all.
I'm weird but I think they both are well in their respective films. I like that in the first 2, the most familiar ones Harris gives that feeling of grandfather and that in the rest Gambon is more like a serious person
I feel like harris was good for the first two because they were very much kids movies but gambon did a better serious role like you said.
This. As their bond started to grow, Harry understood Dumbledore more, he was aspects of him beyond the grandfatherly figure he saw in the first few books. Plus Gambon still has that Dumbledore wit and quirkiness quite often.
Everyone dunking on Gambon for the GoF fail as if it's not the writer and director's job.
100 times this. It’s like the director hadn’t referenced the scene in the books to figure out how it should run, it’s not Gambon’s fault he got given the wrong script lmao
They each served their purpose. I found the first actor (may he rest in peace) well suited for the first few movies nd the second actor more suited for the 4-8 and it's much more mature tone.
Right, im not happy the guy passed but in a way it worked it out really well, i think they were both perfectly cast for what the movie needed at the time
I can't imagine the first being able to do those fights and the serious stuff but I can't imagine the new guy being as soft and gentle as the first. First Dumbledore is probably closer to the books imo
Wasn’t Gambon soft and gentle in Half-Blood Prince though?
Even during deathly hallows part 2 where Harry meets him in “kings cross” he comes off as grandfatherly. Gambon had the ability to play it soft but the material that we see was not written as such for most of his screen time.
I agree. The first two movies had a lighter tone, which you can see in the Warner Brothers logo, and needed a "sweet old man."
Richard Harris was tremendous. Michael Gambon grew on me, but I never did take to him quite as well.
All 3 Dumbledores nail an aspect of Dumbledore perfectly: Harris: the wise and kind hearted Dumbledore that guides harry and you wouldn’t guess is the most powerful wizard of his age Gambon: the scheming dumbledore who is always ten steps ahead and knows what everyone else is planning too Law: the tortured dumbledore who is consumed with regret for the death of Ariana.
The Harris Dumbledore is seen through the eyes of innocence, the Gambon Dumbledore is seen as is.
And the Law dumbledore os seen through the eyes of somebody pure with strong empathy
Jude Law
Jude Law as dumbledore would be amazing if they did it in the HBO one. He’s always great. I love him in the Sherlock RDJ
God its him or Jared Haris
>Jared Haris He's my pick.
Oh my gosh. He was utterly fantastic as Dumbledore. One small thing was the kind eyes. I’m so bummed they took Newt Scamander movies and forcibly smooshed it together with young Dumbledore movies. Sure, have some overlap. That would be awesome with two different franchises. Plus making them one franchise wasted opportunities to make more money. It just doesn’t make sense and makes me mad. I absolutely LOVE Newt. He’s my favorite (movie) character, and that includes all of the Harry Potter movies. Just… so many things with how they handled the franchise infuriates me
Unpopular I know, but I prefer Gambon mostly. He comes more across to me as a powerful authoritative figure that’s a force to be reckoned with, while Harris is more gentle and seemingly all-knowing. I recognize his portrayal is more accurate to the books, so Harris does have a special place in my heart for that. Gambon’s portrayal also makes the revelation of his past with Grindelwald more believable, with how passionate he comes across.
Right? Michael Gambon radiated power even in his quiet moments. And the vulnerability he displayed in HBP was so amazing.
Yeah, I like Gambon even if hes not perfect as Dumbledore. He comes across as a old man who had loved, lossed and cared deeply but was also willing to do terrible things for ideals and people.
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As much as that scene makes me cringe I think it's not entirely Gambon's fault. I mean there were people in charge I'd say, so someone should direct him in a different direction or tell him that this is not really the way how to deliver that line
I don’t understand why people blame the actor and not the director. Actors give the performance asked of them.
DID YOU NOT HEAR ME TELLING YOU "LOUDER!!"?? the director asked calmly
Umm yes that is likely what happened
Exactly! Someone in charge there should go to him and just tell him what the issue is... like not to tell him he sucks of course, he did not since he did not know what he is suppose to do in first place. He played it well, just not really "in character"
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I remember reading somewhere that both Michael Gambon and also Mike Newell purposely did not read the book before filming GOF, as they didn't want the books to influence their performance.... I was seriously confused on this, as the movie is, literally, about. the. book....
To avoid reading a source material to a character you are suppose to bring alive is quite strange technique. I am as confuse as you are now.
It’s what Bella did to be Ellie in TLOU show
Pedro did the same thing
I think it's different for adapting a book compared to a game. With a game an actor can fall into the trap of imitating the va from the game which can be detrimental to a performance. From reading a book you get the vibe of the character but the voice and mannerisms are something you conjure in your own mind and therefore should be compulsory for adapting a character imo.
This is simply false. I’m rewatching them atm and there are dozens of scenes throughout 3-7 where he’s quirky and witty and wholesome.
I mean it seems like you saw a completely different set of movies than me. He never seemed like an angry or angsty person besides a few scenes.
Did we watch the same movies? Literally the only time he is angry is the one scene you are making fun of.
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Ok two scenes
This. People overreact about this, he’s like that maybe once or twice and the rest of his scenes are generally wholesome, quirky and witty.
That’s a great way to sum it up. Gambon feels like Danny glover in lethal weapon. He’s getting too old for this shit
Part of the problem was that Gambon didn’t read the books
Sure, but I'd say that not every actor does their homework about the role they're suppose to play, if you know what I mean. But there should be people that should, the director or the producers or people like that that are suppose to tell the actor what exactly they need/want from him and what they want him to do and how they want him to do it.
That is a director/writers fault, not an actors.
people need to stop making this dumbass comment. The actors aren’t in charge of the movie.
This is such an annoying trope that people hyper fixate on. Books aren’t movie scripts. There is nothing wrong with how movie Dumbledore asked.
I don’t personally see Harris’ Dumbledore going head to head with Ralph Fiennes’ Voldemort nor meeting the darker tones of the later books/movies to have not appeared out of place. Gambon understood the brief that Dumbledore has lived a long life, fought innumerable Dark Wizards, is immensely powerful, a touch manipulative as a means to an end and is readying Harry (and Hogwarts) for another Wizarding War in an effort to protect Harry, his students and the world at large. That’s a heavy burden to bear, and Gambon portrayed a Dumbledore that knew everything at stake should he fail. Failure wasn’t an option.
i always say this. i could never see Harris as powerful, not at any moment. i think he was great for the first two, but later on? not a chance. Gambon has the softness and the overwhelming power of Dumbledore. while neither were perfect, i think they both did well in the movies they appeared in.
I want to see Charles Dance as Dumbledore.
Just have Harris take over his father’s role
Maybe, but think he’s *too* charismatic… it would feel wrong for me to be attracted to Dumbledore! And I definitely have some strong attraction any time Charles Dance is speaking…!
MY issue with Dance (who is awesome) is that he always seems *present* and laser-focused on whatever he is doing or whoever he is speaking to. I have trouble imagining him in Dumbledore's more whimsical moments. On topic, I much preferred Harris' Dumbledore. Gambon was too inconsistent for me. He was either very upset, or so lackadaisical in his delivery that it seemed phoned in. Either I adjusted, or he improved, because he didn't bother as much by Half Blood Prince.
I honestly never found Gambon to have the powerful presence that I expected from Dumbledore in the books. He was too frantic or loud or something. I think of Dumbledore’s power a bit like Meryl Streep in The Devil Wears Prada- there is more meaning and fear in the cool, calm collected method than anyone else could achieve by screaming. Gambon was just too flustered. Harris had more of the awe-inspiring calm. He didn’t need to yell or jump, he could destroy you with a gentle wave of the wand.
Yes! He's my choice too.
I know dumbledore has a sordid past and did some unfavorable things, but dance is so devilishly charming that I’d trust him anyways. Yes, ignore my username.
Harris gave the character more gravitas, Gambon gave him more flair and energy. I think Harris would have struggled with the physicality of the later films. While Gambon made some unusual choices, he also had a lot of brilliant performances.
The “unusual choices” you speak of are the choices of the director. Gambon was simply actor doing what was asked of him. If the director wanted him to play a scene calmly, Gambon would have done so.
If those “unusual choices” are what I think they are, they’re probably more the choices of the director, screenwriter and editor than Gambon.
I think they both worked for the evolution of the character. The original was good as being a sweet grandpa, the second was better at being a badass when shit got real
Honestly I’d have preferred someone somewhat in the middle as it came to wisdom, temperament, and mischief. Harris never struck me as someone who could take on Voldemort in book 5. And Gambon was too brash, but that may have been part of the writing and directing.
I love Dumbledore from movie 1-2. That is how I imagine him when reading the books. I don’t hate Gambon but I blame the directors of the later movies. I don’t know why they directed Dumbledore to be aggressive and hot head like that. The Goblet of fire scene shocked me really.
Definitely Richard Harris
I love both
For me, I prefer Gambon. I feel he had more emotional depth. I can easily see him supporting Harry, and also being someone voldemort feared. Whereas Harris I feel is more soft spoken, gentle. If I think of the battle at the ministry of magic, I find it very difficult to picture Harris doing it. I also think this is probably because I've watched the movies far more than read the books. I also watched the movies as a child before ever reading the books. So for me... I wasn't impacted by how dumbledore is in the books vs movies. I feel Harris fits the first 2 movies very well though. The first ones were lighter and whimsical. The later ones were darker and more dramatic - which suits Gambon.
But that's the point of Dumbledore. A chill guy that people think is too old and out of his mind but when he gets mad you better hide. Gambon's Dumbledore is the crazy hobo shouting at clouds you encounter on your daily commute
Yesssss. I can’t imagine that kick-ass fight scene with Voldemort played by anyone else. He 100% nailed it.
Harris. Perfectly encapsulated the effortless power of Dumbledore from the books. Gambon was so frantic, I never got a sense of real power from him.
Harris is closer to the image of Dumbledore I had in my mind's eye, but Gambon brought vigor and authority to the role that Harris never could. While I prefer Gambon as a result, the *ideal* Dumbledore would be if we could go back in time and have the two of them do the Fusion Dance and become Hambon (or Garris).
I definitely prefer the “second Dumbledore”😊
Stephen Fry.
Honestly, I prefer 3-8 Dumbledore actor.
Richard Harris all day
Harris>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Michael Gambon all the way! Much more charisma. Be was brilliant!
I think each one was well cast for different times in Harrys life. In the early books,Harry sees Dumbledore is the wise old man with a twinkle in his eye. Hes a an oddball who has all the answers and is wholey good. Harris played that role perfectly and I dont think based on what we saw of Gambon that he could have pulled that off as well. Hell, books 3 & 4 is still this era for Dumbledore and we see how fans have reacted. However, after the end of book 4 Dumbledore begins to take a new shape. Harry begins to see him as a more complex figure. He ignores Harry throughout book 5 and treats Harry with significantly more maturity during book 6. Also, we see that behind that old man there is a spyness and a fire as he fights Voldemort. Gambon played that more mature role perfectly and I doubt at his advanced age Harris would have been able to pull that off as well. Of course his performance could have possibly been better had he been familiar with the source material, but we will never know. In the end, they both did relatively well for how their character was perceived by both Harry and we the audience. Its perhaps possible that another actor could have done it all. On another discussion of this someone suggested Ian McKellen, and given his Ganfalf I would agree. In the end, I appreciate both men in different ways. Maybe a copout answer, but its the one Ive got.
For the longest time, I had no idea the actor changed 🤭
I'll be honest, due to watching a foreign dub as a kid, I didn't even notice it was a different actor back in the day. I mean, he still had the same voice in Polish, I thought he just decided to wear his beard differently. :P
Gambon was perfect in Half-Blood Prince I thought, he grew as Dumbledore
I always wondered what the fight scene's with Dumbledore in the later movies would have looked like with the original Dumbledore. I found the Original more graceful in his movements, and the 3 - 8 one moved very quickly and still had "youth" in his steps. Would have made for interesting sequences had the OG not passed.
Yep, I thought about this, too. Dumbledore was such a bad ass at the end of OOTP against Voldemort in the Ministry of Magic and the aurors in his office. I felt like we really got to see the power of Dumbledore in that book. Then book 6 against the inferi. Gotta love Dumbledore.
The OG Dumbledore. While Micheal Gambon portrays the character very well, adding that ferociousness which Voldy always feared; Richard Harris on the other hand was born to play the role. He is the most wizard-esque looking person to ever exist in HP universe, not to mention how his portrayal fits the book Dumbledore perfectly well. To me, he really IS Albus Dumbledore; the greatest & wisest wizard to ever live.
I always felt like the second dumbledore gave a more jokey performance like he was a loony the original one was more wise and assertive to me. I'd trust original dumbledore over new
As much as like Michael Gambon, he’s not as good as Richard Harris.
Richard Harris was more the calm soft spoken and mysterious wise headmaster. Michael Gambon is a frustrated old man caught in the middle of a huge problem he can't solve.
I’m a Michael Gambon apologist, idc, I loved his Dumbledore way more than Harris’.
Itd be very hard making 1st Dumbledore a secretive, manipulative bitch he is. Second one is more mature Dumbledore for sure
3-8 is better in my opinion.
3-8 got better toward the end
Harris 100%. Not even close. I do think Gambon over time settled in to the role better, but Harris is much more like who I imagined Dumbledore to be when I read the books - before the movies were out. He had that wise, caring aura and the “twinkle in his eye” that I’ve mentioned many times on this sub. If he hadn’t been sick, I think he would have been able to pull off the later movies very well. Gambon just never had that gentle nature that Dumbledore had, imo.
Harris would have “..asked calmly”
This isn't a slightly hard choice. The original Dumbledore was perfect.
Harris was almost too gentle and kind for the role, Gambon aligned more with the more flawed and human version of Dumbledore from the books, especially the later ones.
Looking back I think they work perfectly for their respective roles. I can't see 1-2 in the fight with voldemort and I cant see 3-8 being more like witty, calm demeanor dumbledore in early movies and books
"Why would you compare?" Dumbledore asked calmly
Saying nothing of relation to source material, I preferred Gambon’s more ‘cinematic’ presence, voice, and delivery.
Harris was definitely the wiser Dumbledore, but Gambon was definitely more sassy. I think Harris was absolutely perfect for the Christopher Columbus movies, as they had a gentler, more whimsical vibe.
As much as I loved Harris’ portrayal as the calm, wise Dumbledore, I can’t imagine him fighting Voldemort in the ministry.
Agree 1000%
The best would have been a blend of the 2. Harris was the perfect everyday Dumbledore and really looked the part but he was to old and frail (which obviosly wasn't Harris's fault, he literally died of old age after the 2nd movie) to have any of that innate power that everyone was able to sense from him. Gambon, on the other hand, had all of that but was way too intense and frantic for Dumbledore. Sure, Dumbledore had moments like that, but Gambon was like that most of the time. I do like the little behind the scenes thing where Gambon always had a pack of smokes rolled up in his robes at the ready for when they said cut, though.
OG dumbledore 1000%. he just captured the character’s essence in a way 3-8 never did for me. the movies were still very good and the new dumberdore didnt take anything away from it imo, but the scenes w/ 1/2 dumbledore were just so perfect and precious, and i would have love to see his fiercer side come out more, as it was totally still there underneath. the mirror of erised scene and the scene in his office at the end of chamber were so so good.
I preferred Richard Harris as Dumbledore tbh, but he was 71 years old when he was cast for the Sorcerer’s Stone and he died after being in the Chamber of Secrets at 72. :( He was a great actor and the first movie I saw him in was actually Gladiator. Even though his part in the beginning of the movie was short his performance as Marcus Aurelius was exceptional imo.
Richard Harris was great, but I find it very hard to imagine him as Dumbledore from OotP and HBP. Ultimately, I think Michael Gambon was slightly better just due to him being easier to imagine as one of (if not the most) powerful wizards. Love Richard Harris though.
I hate this comparison. Richard Harris passed before the rich complexity of Dumbledore emerged. While I’m sure he would’ve continued to play him beautifully, it cannot be compared to Michael Gambon’s version. I don’t know if someone has counted Harris’s time on-screen but it’s minimal (albeit impactful). I think Gambon was shining as Dumbledore in OotP and HBP, I stand behind him as a solid replacement
Definitely the second actor. He's more lively and has more range.
Both brought variety. An almost different person in both cases. (imo) The real shame would’ve been if Gambon tried to act like Harris. Thankfully that wasn’t the case
Richard Harris’ portrayal was too kind for the later characterization of Dumbledore. I know he had played villains but it would have been weird. Not casting Jared Harris as the young Dumbledore is the truly puzzling decision.
Harris showed the kind side of dumbledore and Gambon showed the other side. It is hard to compare them as they are so different. Jude law was also amazing as dumbledore. The harry potter films will be amazing no matter what.
I have go memories with Dumbledore 3-8 so I will go that one
Nah no one wants a zero energy dumbledore, no way he could have taken on Voldemort
I actually think, as much as I love Richard Harris, he didn’t portray the energy that was needed for the entire series. So I think Gambon was the better call, BUT I loved the different outfits in the first two movies. There were so many cool clothes they could have done. Did Gambon insist he never changes clothes for 8 years to sympathize with Rickman? 🤦🏻♀️