Unless you were one of the few five million who bought it on the day it came out, you might not have realized that Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire arrived on DVD last week.
Frankly I don't know what to say about this. I really liked all the Harry Potter books and movies. My family even threw me a surprise Potter-themed birthday party once, complete with an incredible 8-foot hero sandwich shaped exactly like a Nimbus-2000.
Um, yeah, this was for my 30th birthday, by the way.
Lately though, the series, more accurately the fans of the series, are starting to get a little out of control. I'm not saying they have reached the full on "Trekkie" level yet (i.e. complete outfits, speak Klingon fluently), but they are heading in that direction. If I were to place them on a scale, I would say they are at the level of people who showed up at the last Star Wars prequels dressed as Jedi (but haven't yet mastered Huttese - and I realize with horror that I spelled Huttese correctly without any aids.) Please note that there are still three more films yet to be made in the Potter series. Give them time, and you know at the premiere of the last movie the theater will be filled with adults in wizard costumes waving magic wands and shouting vaguely Latinesque incantations at one another.
Perhaps my uneasiness stems from my own family. My father read all six books and watched the first three DVDs all in one week. He then spent the next 3 months calling us all "muggles". (I mentioned I am over 30, right? So you can do the math and guess what his age might be) The man pointed a pencil at me recently and yelled "Silencio!"; there's no coming back from something like that.
Let's not forget my sister, with whom I watched the Goblet of Fire with. I don't want to know how many times she has re-read the entire series. She spent the better part of the movie making exasperated hand gestures at the screen. Her biggest scorn was aimed at poor Michael Gambon, who played Dumbledore. She ripped every one of his scenes to shreds. "Oh! He's NOOOOO Dumbledore!" she blurted at one point, in the exact same measured tones as Senator Lloyd Bentsen. For those of you keeping track, this puts her in two scary gangs, the Jane Austens and the Potters. She is not to be trifled with. (For the record I was about to mention that my mother is a huge Potter fan as well, yet hadn't lost her mind to it, but now I realize it was she who, not only thought it up but, convinced the guy at the deli to make an 8-foot Nimbus-2000 Submarine Sandwich.) I'm really a lost cause.
It's best if I just relay all the details of the Two-disc Deluxe Edition:
Disc 1:
As you may have noticed I dared to name he who must not be named. It's Ralph Fiennes. There I've said it again! Expecto Patronum!
(I know full well a member of my family will correct my spelling of the spell) --Matt Callahan
Photo: © 2005 Warner Bros.
Its good to have an imagenation. As long as your dad knows hes not a wizard then i think all is well. I get so worried about these adults who think these books are bad for kids and gives them the wrong idea. Personally i think if the kids is reading leave them alone. These books are more about the friendships then magic, I dont see the problem in these books. They are making kids read, Some who never read but rather watch tv all day. Shouldnt we look at the positive these books bring rather then the media negitive? These people who say harry potter is a mask for something much worse have yet to read them or allow someone to tell them the point of the books... i dont know if any of you get what i am saying but i do hope someone does.
-- Posted by: GinnyWeasley at March 15, 2006 12:28 AMI have to admit, I looked up the spelling online. You will be amazed at how many people have websites devoted solely to the Spells of Harry Potter.
I, in fact, DID attend an IMAX showing with two wand-toting adults in costume (robes, ties, the works). So, it's already begun! The rest of us adult fans (in our thirties, forties) in our Star Trek club (yup, not mutually exclusive) have been sharing our obsession with Harry for years already. Thank goodness, because my mother and sister look at me funny if I mention Potter/Trek/LotR, whatever. Oh, and one of our group is also a Jane Austen!
-- Posted by: Gloria at March 15, 2006 5:40 PMThis article is so refreshing. i am 48, a very mature muggle.I get clowned all the time by my neices and newphews, ages 4-16. They think, it is hilarious. they think i am off the chain, but they love my obsession too!!
-- Posted by: judy at March 15, 2006 11:02 PMthis was a fantastic bit of writing. oh my how i can relate to being a crazy harry potter fan. nicely done matt...or should i say matt's family!
-- Posted by: Laura aka wolfie at March 18, 2006 1:51 AMIT IS THE BEST
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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IT IS NO.1 TOTALLY
I'm so glad I'm not the only crazy adult Potter fan out there!
-- Posted by: Sonya at March 14, 2006 10:24 PM