Hogwarts birthday!

Last weekend was my birthday, and as a super special celebration Big Chimp and I visited the Warner Bros Studio Tour: The Making of Harry Potter. Not only did this make me unspeakably happy, but it also served to remind me what a monumental task it is to create a believable world. I mean, the number of minute details in the sets, things you wouldn't even notice in the films, was mind-boggling. And it all pointed back to JK Rowling's amazing worldbuilding with the seven Harry Potter novels. The wizarding world in which Harry Potter, his friends, and his enemies reside is an entire world, with no vital detail left out—from Gringotts to the Ministry of Magic to the rules for quidditch to the history of Hogwarts. This world is deep, and intricate, and not only believable but also relatable.

The tour itself was very thorough, including a visit to the Great Hall, Harry's dormitory, the Gryffindor Common Room, Dumbledore's Office, the Burrow, and the Ministry of Magic. Between the two sound stages you visit is a coutyard housing the Knight Bus; Hagrid's motorcycle; Number Four, Privet Drive; and the Hogwarts bridge. There's also a little cafe that sells snack and, more importantly, butterbeer (delicious, super sweet, a bit cream-soda-ish with a hint of butterscotch)! The second sound stage focuses on animatronics, masks, and creatures, and the super impressive and detailed Hogwarts model, which I won't talk about too much because I don't want to spoil it for those of you planning on going, but trust me, it's amazing.

We got the audio tour, which costs a little more, but it's narrated by Tom Felton and has lots of cool extra facts and videos. The only trouble was the touch screen, which I kept bumping accidentally and skipping ahead.

I could go on and on and on about the tour, the films, the books, and what a hero Joanne Rowling is to me, but you'd rather look at photos, right? Right.

Waiting in line. Not too long a wait—about 10 minutes. You have to buy tickets in advance, and they give you a time to show up. Ours was 17:30.

Harry's cupboard.

Welcome to Hogwarts.

Dumbledore's office!

Ravenclaw's diadem in the horcrux display case. Note the engraving: Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure!

Potions classroom. Thousands of bottles with different ingredients, all hand labeled.

Hagrid's hut.

Magic is Might

Details, details.

Drinking butterbeer while driving Hagrid's motorcycle: life is good.

"Mr and Mrs Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much."

Knight Bus!

Eeylops Owl Emporium, Diagon Ally.

Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, Flourish & Blotts, Fortescue's, Ollivanders, Gringotts <3

All in all it was an amazing experience, and I feel so lucky that I got to go!

Question time: have you ever been on a literary/art/music pilgrimage? Who and what and when? Tell me about it in the comments!

My thoughts about Harry

Last Saturday Big Chimp and I went to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2. 

We chose the time carefully—we didn't want to be tired, or distracted about going to work the next day. We paid extra to go to an 18-and-over screening to avoid loud kids. We ate beforehand and bought water bottles and candy to keep us going throughout the film. I used the restroom at the last possible minute—after the commercials had finished and the movie trailers had started. We had our earplugs ready in pockets (we use them to protect our ears during loud scenes). I had on my freshly ironed Harry Potter T-shirt (Comic Con 2010). In short, we were thoroughly prepared.

The reason for all this preparation is simple: I love Harry Potter, and I wanted the experience of watching the last film to be perfect. Of course, I needn't have bothered with all the preparation; from the first scene to the close of the epilogue, I was lost in the story. I have no problem in admitting that I was in tears a couple of times (I was prepared for this; I cried while reading the book, too).

The Harry Potter films can never be what the books are for me—in fact I don't think any film could be what a novel is for me—but that didn't stop me from loving this film. Sure, they changed some things, but I thought it worked well; I don't think it's possible to be entirely true to a book in a film adaptation anyway, because books and films are such different things. One of my co-workers warned me not to get my hopes up for the movie as it was bound to disappoint. But I didn't find that at all. It was everything the trailers promised: it was visually beautiful, full of action and excitement, dark but with touches of humor here and there to keep it from being too bleak.

Hallows and Horcruxes

Saturday night Big Chimp took me to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part One. I don't normally enjoy the film versions of my favorite books, but the Harry Potter series has always been an exception. And while I've enjoyed all of the Harry Potter films, none have impressed me as much as Deathly Hallows: Part One.

The film for the most part stays true to the novel, capturing all of the darkness, the despair, the frustration, the hope, and the fear that the characters experience. It feels by far the most serious of the films, as it is the most serious of the novels in the series. It doesn't shy away from pain and loss, but still manages to remain wonderfully magical.

What I find particularly interesting is that the film delves more deeply into the relationships between the characters, especially between Harry, Ron, and Hermione. One particularly poignant scene shows Harry persuading a despairing Hermione to dance with him, alone in their tent in the woods. It's just such a great illustration of love between friends, especially between two who have been through so much together.

Another part I love in the film is the animation that plays as Hermione reads the story of the three brothers from The Tales of Beedle the Bard. The style of the drawing is just spot-on, and Emma Watson's voice complements it beautifully.

It's not often that a movie can make you actually laugh or cry, but I did both during this film. That's one of the things I love about this series: the perfect balance between humor and darkness, between gravity and whimsy.

Thank you JK Rowling, for writing the Harry Potter series. I sort of love you.

And thank you Warner Brothers for doing the story justice.