Let me freely admit, I am a little late to the party on this
one. I read the first book when it
became available in the States and was decidedly…ambivalent. Sure, it was cute, but there was nothing
particularly new here, and Harry came off a little too coddled for my
tastes. The book was a child’s book meant
for children and that was fine, but it didn’t draw me in the way something like
a John Christopher story, or early Heinlein—also meant for children—would. I saw the movie when it came out, and left it
feeling about the same way.
So I didn’t go back.
It’s not like there was any shortage of entertainment; hell, I think
Entertainment is going to be the Western 20/21st Century world’s
cultural legacy. That’s for another blog
though. Suffice it to say I didn’t think
I was missing much.
Then, about a year ago I got a bug that if soooo many people
were into this, that maybe it got better.
Some friends told me this was so, so all the movies went in my Netflix
queue. And then the Lovely Jennifer and
I kept bumping them down, until finally about a month ago, we let the first one
hit, since I’d not seen it since it came out.
As of last night, we watched part II of “The Deathly Hallows” and I am
struck enough by the series to make some comments. Please keep in mind, I have not read any but
the first book. I likely will now, so
please save your “the movies suck next to the books” comments. I have experience with what it takes to
convert a narrative prose into a visual medium, and it’s far more difficult
than you think. I’m judging the movies
here, and the movies only. And if YOU
have not watched the films, spoiler alert.
I don’t think I am going to become a PotterHead, or whatever it is they call HP Fandom. However,
I was quite entertained by the series, and really appreciate the fact the
stories grow up with the lead characters.
By the third (Prisoner of Azkaban) the universe that started out pretty
derivative of any magic based story has become a fuller tapestry of specific
adaptations of those old standards to a new world. The threats are far more than just which
house wins the Quidditch cup this year.
Larger themes of death, betrayal by authorities in which we place our
trust, loyalty, and legacy are now entwined with the stories of characters who
are not cute little kids with magic wands, but troubled adolescents making life
or death decisions, living in a world dictated to them by the generation gone
before. That’s a great allegory for life
in general, and I came to understand that that first couple of books use
familiar artifacts—magic wands, broomsticks, witches and wizards—as a shorthand. It’s a similar trick that Lucas uses in the
Holy Trilogy: we know the Jedi are a chivalric order because they are “knights”
who wield sabers. We know Darth Vader is
bad because he’s dressed like a dark Knight.
We know Leia is good because she’s a Princess locked away in an evil castle,
and she’s all dressed in white. Those
old, old concepts are in place so Lucas doesn’t have to describe the world step
by step; he can bring the audience in with some base knowledge and then build
on it with “Sith” and “Wookies” and for whatever reason “Ewoks.”
The HP story does the same thing. We know unicorns are special, so when someone
feeds on one, we get it. We know if
someone is so bad they cannot even be named they are likely going to be the
heavy. That’s fine. We’re pulled in with the shorthand so the
story can hit the main theme: Death.
These movies start with the death of Harry’s parents and
Harry’s journey only ends when he has rejected the Deathly Hallows, trying not
to overpower death with the Elder Wand, avoid death with the Resurrection
Stone, or hide from Death with the Invisibility Cloak. He walks right into it, and in doing so finds
victory. Throughout, Harry loses people
he loves, sometimes senselessly, while people who deserve death live on to
cause trouble in subsequent films. Even
people like Gandal…uh, Dumbledore whom Harry trusts, are leading him to his own
death, or themselves succumb to the Reaper.
This may sound like that makes the whole narrative pretty much a downer,
but not really. We see death is part of
life, it is capricious, but you keep going.
One may die, but life continues.
Harry, the very Messianic figure in these films dies, is resurrected,
returns to defeat Vade...uh, Sauro...uh, Voldemort and then…
…gets married, has kids, and sends them off to school
too. Life goes on. And those kids will have adventures and love
and have their own kids and life goes on.
It’s not about the futility of life that death hangs over us and will
eventually claim us all, but rather the joy that comes from the chance to have
faced life and death on your own terms, and how well you treated the ride when
you were on it. That’s a neat theme, and it ties the films together nicely.
That tapestry I mentioned is neat. It’s an intriguing world in which details
matter. Hints in “Sorcerer’s Stone” (ha
ha, Harry can talk to snakes in the zoo!) come to play in “Deathly Hallows”
(because he is one of Voldemort’s horcruxes, yikes). “Order of the Phoenix” finally tells us why
Quidditch exists when Mad-Eye leading the Order to help evacuate Harry from his
Aunt and Uncle’s house mentions to everyone on a broom, “stay in
formation.” If you grew up playing
Quidditch, you know exactly what he means.
The slowly revealed backstory of Harry’s Parents and Tom Riddle and
Severus Snape, all lend a credibility and depth to the overall narrative.
Along with that, you get some deep and intriguing
characters, which develop nicely. I am
still wondering if Severus Snape is my favorite in the series. He’s at first glance a heavy, not really nice
the whole time, apparently betrays the heroes, but in the end is acting out of
love and for the greater good. I like
that. I also want to give a shout out
to the Wedge Antilles of the HP movies, Neville Longbottom. From goofy looking kid, to knight wielding
the Sword of Gryffindor against Voldemort’s giant freaking snake, Neville isn’t
a child of destiny like Luk…uh, Harry; he’s someone who steps up because he
can, and makes all the difference. I
have heard in the books he goes on to become a professor at Hogwarts. Good on him.
So in the end, I don’t know if I will ever watch all of them
again, though I do have Grandkids on the way and the series is certainly
something I would think should be part of a kid’s life. Should they decide to emulate Hermione’s
studious nature, Ron’s loyalty, or Neville’s sense of duty and responsibility,
there are role models to be found, and the series deserves to be considered
among child and young adult classics. I
am pleased if not blown away, and now understand a lot more of the jokes on Tumblr. I do think though on any subsequent viewings,
I will watch “Deathly Hallows” in one sitting; the second half suffers as a
film on its own when separated from the first half. Nonetheless, I am glad I watched, and would
recommend them to those who have not.
They get pretty dark from about “Order of the Phoenix” on but spin a
good tale that grows with the characters.
Now where’s my Neville spinoff?
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