MSN Asks "Has Harry Potter Lost the Magic?"
Movies
Posted by: sue
June 23, 2009, 09:24 AM
The MSN Mom & Pop Culture Blog for Family Entertainment has an
opinion piece today based on the question " 'Has Harry Potter Lost His
Magic?.' " The article starts by mentioning the huge interest and media
attention paid to the Twilight series, then discusses the delay of
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, wondering if this would cause
waning in the love of the series and films. The author notes that while
some had been planning a boycott when the movie opens next month, the magic remains strong and firm for
many of us, and mentions our own recent LeakyCon convention held last
month in Boston. Quotage:
But on the other hand, there is reality. Harry Potter still has passionate
fans. The Web site, TheLeakyCauldron.org reports more than 75,000
members in its online discussion community. These fans not only have no plans to
boycott Warner Bros. for delaying the movie, some of them also traveled to
Boston a couple of months ago for "LeakyCon," a convention that raised money for
charities and featured the musical stylings of an astonishing number of Harry
Potter tribute bands.
...
The event, put on by TheLeakyCauldron.org, wasn't just about bands, though.
Two major names in young adult literature, Cheryl Klein and John Green, gave a
keynote speech on the writing process. Klein was on the U.S. editing team for
Harry Potter, and Green is author of "Looking for Alaska" and "An Abundance of
Katherines" and "Paper Towns."
The author then goes on to note a feeling that is shared by so many of us:
As impressive as this is, conventions aren't proof that the boy wizard
retains his magic. That lies in the stories themselves, where the magic remains
in abundance...I picked up "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" again to get myself
ready for the movie, and loved it more this time than I did the first. Once you
know how the series ends, you can see the incredibly way Rowling structured the
story, weaving little bits into the tapestry that would have great meaning
later. All the while, she stayed true to her central theme: that a mother's love
is the most powerful magic of all. And she keeps things refreshingly complex.
Many secondary characters are a mix of good and evil -- sort of like how people
are in the real world.
These books are good enough that they should be considered classics. The
movies, for the most part, have been good, too. This is why I'll be at the
theater the day "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" opens. For me, at
least, the magic is as strong as ever.
Hear Hear! Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince opens July 15th.
Thanks Jenny and Samantha!
137 Comments
2616 Points
Real fans, who have read the books, love the Harry Potter series. The magic will always be there for us!
840 Points
No surprises here :-)
539 Points
How dare they think Harry Potter is loosing it’s magic :O it’s unspeakable- it’s outragous, it’s- stuuupid. The Harry Potter fans will never cease to exist just as those who remain are loyal to it (haha, see what i did there ;) no matter what other series comes along. I am a Twilight fan too but I will never love it like i love harry potter. I grew up with Harry Potter, and nothing with change how I feel about it.
3703 Points
Of course the magic of HP will NEVER die. I think we are the most loyal fans there are. You don’t have that special thing with Twilight.
95 Points
awesome :) What a lovely article. HP forever!
791 Points
No matter what they say, the Harry Potter fanbase is still larger than the Twilight one. The Twihards, mostly teen girls, are just more vocal in the Internet. That’s why now it seems that Twilight is bigger.
52 Points
The Harry Potter series will definitely be considered classics. The storyline is timeless, and they are so well-written with very many intricate details and stories within stories. I know my grandchildren will be reading them one day, and the story will be just as fresh and exciting for them as it was for my kids and me.
As for the Twilight series, I did read them, but there really is no comparing the two series. Twilight and its sequels were enjoyable enough, but there is nowhere near the depth of writing in that series as there is in Harry Potter. The characters of Twilight are not nearly as well-developed as those of Harry Potter nor nearly as complex. I believe that the Twilight series will be remembered as more of a fad than anything, while Harry Potter will have a place in classical literature for many years to come.
222 Points
Ok i no people who dont even really like harry potter but they are still gunna see it these people hard core fans tho but im just saying there are a hole lot of people who will watch and enjoy these movies even if they arent hard core fans lol
4151 Points
the magic that is Harry Potter and JK Rowling will never die.
428 Points
To borrow Prof. Dumbledore’s words “Harry Potter will always be here as long as there are people who remains loyal to it”. I guess, as long as there are people talking about it, discussing it… there will always be magic… it will not be forgotten.
I have read A LOT in my life, and I have never been compelled to re-read a book like I have with the HP series. I’ve read LOTR two or three times, with LONG gaps in between. But with HP, I have read the series six times and it is always just as good upon re-reading. That is how I know HP is a classic, because I have never been compelled to re-read like this, and I have read a lot of books.
586 Points
I must agree with the poster above me, Twilight was good actually, but nothing like the hype and not even comparable to Harry Potter! I hate when people say “It’s the new H.P!” or how it’s stealing from Harry Potter. I know tons of people who have read both series (including myself) and they all agree Harry Potter is better!
123 Points
Cant really see any other conclusion to that article other than the fact that Harry is as magical as ever. No point at all even considering whether Twilight has affected it in anyway cos it really hasn’t got the same pull, I dont think Twilight has made a single Harry Potter fan stop liking harry in preference for Twilight. Still wondering though, whether to read HBP before the movie comes out…
2482 Points
THE MAGIC IS STILL HERE!!!! And, in my opinion, it’s even stronger and a bit different now that the series have ended.
Add me to talk about this ;)
2482 Points
THE MAGIC IS STILL HERE!!!! And, in my opinion, it’s even stronger and a bit different now that the series have ended.
Add me to talk about this ;)
Real fans, who have read the books, love the Harry Potter series. The magic will always be there for us!