Whilst the debate has raged about which Dumbledore people prefer, little is actually said about the different movie versions of Professor Flitwick.

In the movie versions of the Philosophers Stone and the Chamber of Secrets, Professor Flitwick is shown with long white hair and a beard. Both times he is played by Warwick Davis.

In the Prisoner of Azkaban, Warwick Davis's look has completely changed into a younger wizard with dark hair and glasses. Although in the credits he is listed simply as "a Wizard", not Flitwick.

However, in the Goblet of Fire, the same actor, playing the same character, is back as Flitwick.

Jo Rowling had this to say about the earlier version:-



It would appear then that neither actually match Jo's imagination, but which one do you prefer?

You know, the actor himself is quite cute, they should have just left him au naturel. I've always seen Flitwick as a bit of a cutie (so shoot me )

Martje

I'd say that out of the 2 SS and CS flitwick are probably the closest to what I was imagining. Neither are right really. I think GF Flitwick is probably too young. I don't think its ever said in the books how old he is - just that he was dueling champ when he was younger so I thought he was quite old.
I think for the GF flitwick I just dont like his hair cut. It just seems weird.

I guess it doesnt bother me too much. He doesnt have a massive role in any of the films - I'm just glad they cut out him introducing the weird sisters in GF that was baad..

P.S: This post took me ages - I kept typing Flistick..no idea.

I won't shoot you, just send you a one way ticket to St Mungos

I haven't voted yet because I just can't decide !! I really didn't like the change when I first saw PoA, but he wasn't Flitwick then. By the time I saw GoF, I had seen PoA so many times I was used to it and so it wasn't a shock seeing the new Flitwick. I wonder whether this was a deliberate ploy by the film-makers because the change in image is so drastic? It would be akin to having a blond Harry!!

I do like the kids carrying the 2nd version Flitwick in the mosh pit though in GoF, that scene makes me laugh. I also like the scene where Hagrid accidentally forks Flitwick at dinner because he is too busy gazing at Madam Maxine. These little things endear me to the newer Flitwick so maybe I'll vote for him!

Well, I figured Flitwick fell in love over the summer between CoS and PoA and had an extreme make-over to aid him in his amorous pursuits!

If there is any question as to where those pursuits might lead, I direct you to his bar order in PoA. No red or blue drinks there!

Seriously, though, since the magical world is somewhat steeped in the past, Flitwick's current hairstyle is very Olivier as Henry V--ca. 15th century England. Appropos, no?

The original flitwick is the closest to my version. The only difference is that he wouldn't be a wrinkly and isn't that bald on top. The new version doesn't look at all (except for the height) of what I have in mind. However, my Flitwick would definitely be up for some crowd surfing.

This poll is quite difficult to answer, actually it's not. I did not like the flitwick in SS or CoS because I am in agreement with Jo, I did/ still do not see him as a goblin or elf look-a-like. I do like how the directors gave the "new" flitwick more pazaz in a way. To me the "older" flitwick just seemed right to stand upon his books, but I did rather enjoy him. "Swish and Flick"

I agree with this. I wonder whether they decided to balance the age of the teachers out a bit more? In GoF we have a grey haired DD, a grey haired Moody and Professor McGonagall isn't young. The new Flitwick is very striking and stands out.

I liked him in the first movies best.

Well, old white-haired Flitwick in a mosh pit would've just been....wrong.
Younger Flitwick crowd surfing was a pretty funny image!

Am I the only one who hated the mosh pit scene? I also did not like the fork thing. I thought it was cute that Hagrid was so starry eyed, but the Flitwick of my imagination would never have called Hagrid an idiot. So mean. I've always pictured him as kind and dignified. The GoF Flitwick makes me shudder.

I found the following on Warwick Davis's official website, where he talks about the make-up for the "first" Flitwick:-



As a side note, he also played the goblin in Gringotts bank who Hagrid and Harry initially see about gaining access to the vaults. A little piece on that here:-



I wonder whether the change in look had anything to do with how long the make-up took. Prosthetic make-up can be quite damaging to an actors skin, as per poor John Rhys-Davis (Gimli in LOTR). He had dreaful eczema from the silicone.

I sympathize with the actors who have to be plastered in makeup, but the fact is POA/GOF Flitwick just looks weird; I think it's the hair. The change in costume/appearance also seems to have brought a change in attitude. I like PS/COS Flitwick better there too.

I think the PS/COS Flitwick is much closer to how I imagined him to be. I really don't like his GoF makeover (mostly because of the hair), and I don't really like the way he acts (like the point where he calls Hagrid an idiot - I never imagined Flitwick to be the sort to do that).

I prefer the Flitwick from PS/CoS, but the new Flitwick is interesting. The earlier Flitwick fits what I imagined from the books more.

I'd prefer a mixture of the 2. THe tash & hair on the new look is awful, but the extra facial stuff on the old look, was out of place.
If they could put the new look Flitwick minus the hair & tash in the old robes, i'd be happier

Well, I voted for both wrong. I think the PS/CoS version is closer to what he should look like though. Maybe a mix of the two would be good... No prosthetic face pieces but gray hair and no mustache.

The Flitwick in PS/CoS is more like I imagined him to be, I have always just thought of him as a tiny little old man even smaller than what he is in the films. The new updated Flitwick is just weird and while the film makers have been so good at trying to stick to some continuity throughout the films, this is just far too strange a move for me I'm afraid.

I also have to say that I like the PS/CoS Flitwick. For the longest time I thought they had taken him out of the movies completely in PoA/GoF. I just asked my friends, "Who is the new wizard that Warwick is playing?". The first Flitwick isn't exactly as I imagined him, but he's a lot closer than the creepy Flitwick of the new films. His personality is completely different from the sweet old man he plays in the first two, and. . . that hair and mustache. . . I just really really hate those.

I agree! Since when did Flitwick become mean? I was used to the Flitwick of the first two films and didn't really like his "make over" for the second two. From what I understand the look of Flitwick in SS and COS didn't really match the Flitwick from Jo's imagination. I voted for "both wrong" although I prefer the Flitwick from the first two films

MarudingDon, thanks for referring me to this poll - very interesting.

As I wrote in the Film forum, my reaction to the GoF version of Flitwick was:



Even apart from the Hitler factor, I think the new Flitwick is too young. He might have been a bit too goblinlike in the first films, but I definitely prefer that version of him to the new one. I always imagined him tiny and whitehaired and kind of "fluffy"-looking. I also get a "gentle" (if somewhat nervous) impression of him from the books which his new film look does not at all convey.

The PS and CoS Flitwick fitted my idea of what Flitwick looked like more than the GoF one. GoF one doesn't look as friendly, which is what I imagine Flitwick to be. He always seemed to be the nicest teacher.

Oh I hated that GoF Flitwick. I was almost glad when Hagrid stabbed him with the fork. The brown hair really doesn't suit him, and the CoS + PS Flitwick ruled!

I'm all for the COS/PS Flitwick. He was by far closer to how I imagined his character to be. A nice and personable little fellow.

GOF Flitwick just gave me the creeps. Like serp said, Hagrid spearing him with the fork was quite appealing.



edited to remove skrewt from dragon egg hunt - MaraudingDon

I liked the original Flitwick in the first two movies best, I don't really know how I'd imagine him because I just never really thought about it, I think all the description he got in the book was being small, but the Flitwick in GoF was ridiculous. If they were going to change his hairstyle and hair colour, they should have done it the other way round, and have him go from black hair to grey, not from grey to black! Also, I didn't even think it was the same person when I saw the PoA adverts. They just made him look creepy.

I haven't really considered this very deeply until I saw this poll... And since I saw the movie PS/SS before reading the books it's not surprising the first Flitwick feels more at home to me. But, I think, there's more to it than that. The PS/SS+COS variant looks more magical, more as a wise teacher. The other look more as a comical little man. In the last two movies we've seen him as a comical figure and I can't see either movie PS/SS+COS or the book Flitwick in that role.

So definitely PS/SS and COS.

Whoa... the little dude in GOF was Flitwick?

I thought he was a guy there for humor! He doesn't look like a Flitwick at all, except that he was... short...

I definitely prefer the one from PS/SS and COS (which one was in POA? was any?)

The GOF variant. He is conducting the toad choir in the Start of Term Feast Something wicked this way comes. I don't know if we see him anymore in POA?

I don't think we see that character (who then becomes the new Flitwick ) again in PoA after the toad choir scene.

I think that merely added to the confusion over the new look Flitwick. In PoA he is merely listed as "a wizard", then in GoF he becomes Flitwick. I mentioned in the Who looks the best Dumbledore thread that I believe one reason Gambon may be disliked is because his entire look changed with the actor. In the case of Flitwick, the actor stayed the same but the look of Flitwick completely changed. It would be nice if there was some kind of explanation from the Producers as to why!

Didn't Cuaron change Flitwick's look? He wanted him to look younger, and Newell kept it.

Flitwick isn't Flitwick in the latter movies. I think if Flitwick comes back into a significant role in the movies, we might see Warwick's original look come back.

Hi GP, long time no read !!

I have actually been sad enough to sit through the cast credits just for this topic . In PoA, Warwick Davis is credited as "wizard", but in GoF he is definately listed as "Professor Flitwick". Same look in both films though.

This is also how he is listed in the imdb (as accurate as that is) In films 1-2 he is listed as Flitwick in film 3 he is listed as wizard and film 4 as Flitwick again.

I do really dislike the hair though.....

Oh, that is too bad! I really, really prefer the original Flitwick, who looks eccentric and endearing, to the new Flitwick, who looks fairly creepy.

It is good to see you, Don. I followed some S'ters in here last night and re-bookmarked the page.

For some reason when I see the new version of Flitwick I think he is a small version of Snape! I really hope that they bring back the sweet old flitwick

I'm not sure on that one. As much as I prefer the old Flitwick, I think to change a characters look yet again would be a mistake. If Warwick Davis does play Flitwick again in the OotP movie, I doubt very much whether he will play a large part. I think lessons are becoming secondary to the main plot and Flitwick doesn't really feature that much. The look will probably remain as it was in PoA and GoF if he does feature.

Shame, the old look seemed more magical to me.

None. I don't like them both.

I think they're both wrong.

The PS/CoS look is too goblinish.

PoA/GoF is too young & that haircut...

Warwick Davis was recently a guest on Mugglecast! Has anyone listened to it and if so, did he say anything about why the look of Flitwick had changed?

Yes he did talk about the look of film Flitwick. He knew this would cause confusion.

He said that in POA, there wasn't actually a part for Flitwick but that WB still wanted him to be involved in the film. So Warwick played the role of Conductor of the Frog chorus, not actually Flitwick. Hence the change of costume.

When it came to GOF, Mike Newell prefered Warwick's new costume and so this was used instead of the original Flitwick costume. Warwick did raise the question of what character he was playing, is he the conductor or is he Flitwiack and WB said Flitwick.

Warwick said that his own justication of this is that in the first two movies he played Professor Flitwick. In the others he has played Flitwick, who is a relative of Professor Flitwick but not the professor himself, for example a brother or cousin of the professor. And this Flitwick teaches magical music rather than Charms.

Warwick says he is very fond of the old Flitwick. But the new Flitwick allows him to be more active.


Other things that Warwick said on Mugglecast.
The crowd surfing at the Yule Ball occurring because Warwick made a joke about it and Mike Newell liked the idea. They filmed a lot of additional material like him air guitaring.

He has done a couple of days on the Ootp film already on scenes in the Great Hall. He has less to do on this film compared to GOF which he did 45 days on.

The new director David Yates is very particular and detailed in his direction.

He would like the Great Hall to be preserved when the films have finished.

They use real food in the films. But they do not replace the food on the following days shoots. So the cast gets reminded not to eat the food, not that they would as Warwick says that the smell is not particularly good.

Flitwick in PS and Cos. That's our Flitwick, just like Richard Harris was our Dumbledore, though I'm growing used to Michael Gambon. The Flitwick in GoF just didn't look like Flitwick at all. There was absolutely no reason to change him - unless Jo said he should have been younger. I barely recognised him at first.

Apple, that is awesome, thank you for those details .

Well, that explains why GoF Flitwick not only looked different but also acted (I thought) so out of character from Flitwick in the books and first two movies. It always bothered me that GoF Flitwick called Hagrid an idiot and I absolutely loathe the body surfing scene. I'm not sure I find the explanation very soothing. It does raise the question of whether or not Flitwick will resume an older look in later movies when he is definitely playing Professor Flitwick and not "Professor Flitwick's nephew the music teacher".

I prefered the original Flitwick myself. To me he fit more of what my imagination was of him. And again when I read the books he is the one I see.

I thought both were a bit weird but the second one is just WRONG for me!!! The second one is weird and (in my opinion) just doesn't look right. I voted for both wrong although the first is slightly better.

I did like the Flitwick in PS/SS the best since that was how I imagined him. But Jo said that Flickwick actually looks the way he does in POA and GOF, so I have to go with her since she's cannon and say that I like how he looks in GOF. He's grown on me.

It's time to revive an old discussion poll for all those wonderful new members who have joined the Lounge since last Summer.

Who is your favourite Flitwick?

The Flitwick in PS and CoS

or

A vastly different Flitwick from GoF

I also imagined someone much closer to the first, but if Jo says the second is best then I will also go with Jo--she DID create the character after all!

I didn't even notice the change! I guess I prefer the first,the second looks a bit too comic!

I didn't even recognise the new Flitwick at first. I thought that the original in PS and CoS better suited the vision of him I had in my mind, but as many have pointed out, if Jo says that the new Flitwick is better then we can't complain!

I've always seen Flitwick as a rather cute little character. We have a lot of scenes in the books to reinforce this (ie. students sending him whizzing across the room in Charms class.) I think that the old Flitwick looked 'cuter' to most fans whereas the new one always looks rather disgruntled to me.