The Crucial Differences Between Snape in the Books and Films

The main difference is: Alan Rickman!

The movie-Snape has the same problem as many other characters and details: His cruelty his not important enough for the main plot. The movie has no time to show his nasty behaviour, because it would seem weird seeing him bash harry in the few scenes they share without the background that the book gives. That is why I personally wouldn't say that he is an entirely different Snape, but rather one who's bad parts we don't see which in the sum makes him look better. I also think that this is the reason why so many people who have watched only the movies/the movies first idolize Snape (which to me is stupid)

since I read this before I watched it in probably my most impressionable years I never got the love Snape gets, I dont think he redeemed himself

But as the video states, through the books he was much much crueler and the malice was hard to overlook no matter what happened in his past, the love for Lily also was not that pure.

I prefer the movie version. Alan was a better Snape than the books’ lmfao

Not light side, dot dark side. He was on his own side.
At least, for me

OH, BOY. this is not gonna be the CRUCIAL difference once the series comes up.

Snape....Itachi. i think i have favorites types of characters

The movie tries to skew Snape as a misunderstood hero and makes him boring for the last few movies. The book treats him as he is, a villain who bullies children and creeps on Lily, but despite that his "love" for Lily causes him to do something Heroic for his own selfish means.

Hey guys i got bad news its not getting any better in our time.

Snape is white

The algorithm has a sense of humor

Can't wait for the video comparing the TV version.😂😂

Snape is black

James Potter was a prick. That’s enough to empathize with Snape

With the HBO "acurate life action" thing going around this is salvation

Yeah, now imagine the 3rd version, where he is a victim because of his race, with a bunch of pointy hat wizards bullying him for “simply existing”. Harry just hating him on the first sight, will go well too 😂. Gonna be a blast 😂

He only wanted Lily to be saved in the first place. Otherwise he wouldn’t tell Voldemort about the child in prophecy.
He hated Harry, because that was the child of her love to the person he despised.
I really wish the series could show the true spirit of Snape

The book is how women think. The movies are how men think.

And now he’s black! Lmao.

Snape, long black oily hair, pale skin... i dont think these woke idiots in Great Britain realize this...
Yeah.. the new HBO show is gonna be a joke..

Movie Snape is just a rude sassy scorned teacher who's ultimately a pretty good person deep within.

Book Snape is a vindictive, petty, creepy, hateful creep who had a few good deeds, thst ultimately were out of selfishness.

Now there's a third ebonics Snape

One important change is the character’s age. Book Snape, having gone to school with Lily and James, is around 30. Alan Rickman’s age made the character (and Lupin and Sirius) older. Being as vindictive as he is in the books, along with sometimes loosing his temper, makes sense for a young character for whom school was fairly recent.

Snape in the books is irredeemable and flat-out malicious

The movies go out of their way to make Snape a quietly sympathetic character. In the books, he is a PRICK.

Ron's done a huge disservice in that "know it all" scene as well. After the first book, he is Hermione's most staunch defender. Though I do hate his guts in the 6th book, his behaviour is pretty inexcusable there.

I suffered from depression and anxiety. These books have been my source of comfort when I got through these moments. Snape was definitely my favorite. However, I’d rather not think about some of the things he did in the books. Overall he has a special place in my heart

Snape will always be one of my favorite characters from the books. He got through so much pressure hence he committed some immoral actions. I must confess there were times when I had to close the eyes and to pretend that he didnt do some of the things he had done.

So much of this just seems like the difference between what Harry sees in the book as a kid, and what you see in the movie as an adult who has more of a perspective on the idea that Snape is a complex person. The book version isn't really any harsher in the occlumency lessons, Harry just can't see the reasons like you can.

My husband constantly calls Snape , Snabley and it drives me bonkers!😂

Personally, I have a different opinion I think that a lot of the differences between book and movie Snape was simply the fact that Harry was unreliable as an main character, and his telling of the story was that Snape hated him misunderstanding the fact that was not actually the case but rather that Snape was hard on him because he wanted to help Harry by being strict but also couldn’t give away the fact that he was actually on Dumbledoor’s side. I also think the fact that Harry’s father stole his love Lily and was his childhood bully on top of that may have made his treatment of him unfair at times.

Dang, Snape bully the kids in the book? I can now imagine him waiting outside at 3pm to just beat up children and take their lunch money. The very idea just makes me chuckle.

Excellent! Having not read the books (I was in my 30s when they came out) but belatedly fallen in love with the movies, it's very interesting to learn of the novel's greater complexities.

I'm glad Alan Rickman (who almost quit thinking Snape was just a mean teacher, I'm glad that such a gifted actor was cast and gave Snape such a believable redemption arch.

To hate a child because of his father is repugnant, but trauma deforms one's psyche, making Snape a deeply poignantly complex character.

Sometimes I appreciate how Hollywood provides us with less ambitiously admirable characters.

Rowling is clearly a great writer, but the world of literature tends across the board to over emphasize the tragic x the cynical, and more and more rewards stories that suggest that no one is ever good. That's a huge distortion.

Both realms distort, if I can't have balance and realism I'd rather have idealized characters than pure nihilism.


Bottom line: Snape breaks my heart. ❤

I pity whoever may have to play Snape (or Harry, or basically any of the characters) in the inevitable reboots.

The Snape and James stuff wasn't one sided.

We all knew who lupin was talking about when he mentioned some let slip he’s a werewolf.

It's also important to know that the aurthor has an irational love for Snape. The movies may have been used to 'whitewash' him a bit.

I have never read the books, so my answer is based on the movies:
I love Snape's character. He's also my favourite, more than Harry and Dumbledore. And just as Sirius said: Sure, Snape had a bad past and wasn't always kind. But after Lily's death, he realised his mistake and turned to the good. Of course even then Snape was strict, but so are many teachers in real life like that (of course they usually don't bully). So, when Neville's bogart is Snape, it doesn't have to mean that Snape traumatized him, it can just mean that Neville hadn't yet seen anything worser than a strict teacher. And personally, I am fine with Snape protecting Harry mainly only for Lily.
In general, Snape wasn't pure good or bad, but nobody is perfect, neither in real life nor movies. In fact, I find all people should have a slight negative personality. Snape is one of the best played characters with a touching story.

Who reads the audio book parts in the video??

He is still the hero of the story because intent doesn't matter. If someone saves the world from invading aliens, but you find out they did it for money, they still saved the world

This is a terrible recount

Snape is the definition of a true neutral. Someone who can be callous and cruel, but also brave and valiant. It’s this which makes him an excellent character, and one of the best characters I the series.

I can just see Snape as an arsehole for the whole time. He does some good things, yes but is immediately a punch worthy character directly afterwards by being mean for no reason (at least no reason is given to him). If he couldn't be able to be nice to the students he at least should've not been an arsehole to them.

Snape is the best. Period.

It’s WILD that Harry named his kid after snake in the book. The dude was F’ing creepy. I’ve reread the series a few times and I never see his redemption (in the books) as good

Think the more sympathetic Snape in the films isn't worse or better, just...different. One might reconcile it with Book!Snape being Trunchbull-terrible partly the result of Harry's unreliable narration.

Granted, the movie version does go abit far on smoothing out his creases sometimes to the detriment of his development in important moments (the 'hide them all' and cutting him calling Lily a mudblood).

Complex always the best. Not booring, and realistic.

I read the books first and Snape was my favorite since the very first one. Because he was the most interesting character, really had you wondering about his true thoughts and motivations. (And I kept believing in him even after HBP.) There's so many stupid people who try to shame you for liking him because they don't seem to have the brain capacity to understand that there's a difference between a good person and a good character. Even outright villains can be very enjoyable characters while the heroes can be extremely boring.

But when it comes to the overall characterization I do must say I prefer movie Snape because he's more mature and realistic (and he's Alan Rickman). I loved Snape in the books but his petty childish vindictiveness reached cartoony levels. Though I guess all the insanity was part of the charm, would have been way less entertaining if Hogwarts only employed actual good teachers lol so I actually found dark humor in it. Still, the amount of mental abuse Snape was hurling at innocent kids was kinda ridiculous and made me go like "Really bro? Also this so called school truly has zero quality control? No parent has complained about this behavior? The headmaster is doing nothing to ensure the wellbeing of the students?" (I guess the answer is yes since they let rampant public bullying go on as well. Like that whole "Weasley is Our King" song and students wearing "Potter Stinks" badges.)

Movie Snape is more relatable. His behavior towards his students comes across more like annoyance than malice, a strict teacher with a sharp tongue, sometimes a jerk. His distaste towards Harry is also shown in a more reasonable light. He behaves in a more distant/dismissive way whereas in the books he's outright vindictive. Movie Snape is not locked into some "must be a jerk 24/7" mode but instead behaves more like, you know, an actual adult human with flaws born out of a dark past. The one downside is that his screentime is very limited. Therefore book Snape is more interesting story-wise but, as said, I prefer the overall characterization of movie Snape. It resonates better with the ending too. Like, yes, I can understand Harry honoring book Snape as well but lets' just say it's less believable than in the movies.