Long lines, hours of waiting, overexcited and weirdly dressed patrons; while this may be what deters people from attending a carnival it has become a welcomed tradition for a generation of fans at the annual premieres of the Harry Potter series. For those who have shut themselves off from the sometimes overwhelming phenomenon, the most recent movie, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, is hitting the box office in two parts with the next and very last one coming out in the summer of 2011. According to Nash Information Services, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 has grossed $608 million worldwide with the United States representing almost one half of that. The film also broke records in the U.K., Germany, Australia, Russia, Italy, and China.
Although the movie didn't come to the SUT in Sewanee, students still flocked to relatively nearby Chattanooga to catch the premiere of The Deathly Hallows, many wearing their gowns. As the lights went down, customary cheers of excitement filled most theaters. The film itself was directed by Peter Jackson, having worked on the Lord of the Rings trilogy his expertise radiated through every scene. The CGI effects were astonishing but believable, soaking the audience in the wonderment of every spell and dangerous fight scene. Since the movie is split into two parts, fans of the books can literally watch the book come to life, as the movie took no liberties in following the book closely, almost down to each word.
Emma Kingsley, C'13, who saw it twice, called Deathly Hallows "Magically fulfilling. Wonderful. Five of the best hours of my life." It seems other students carried similar sentiments "It was the best movie yet...I liked that Voldemort becomes a more prominent character as opposed to just some abstract thing that people whisper about," said Lloyd Lochridge, C'12. However, many light-hearted controversies surrounded where they cut off this first movie and the always awkward Harry/Ginny romance. "I find the relationship between Harry and Ginny awkward. ... seeing them together makes me want to leave the theater," says Elliot Fisher, C'13.
There were also those who didn't see the movie. From that group, Adams Conrad, C'13, offered an explanation, "I've never read the books so I didn't get that into it...I feel that if I had [read the books] I would have watched the movies." By the looks of the box office numbers, it seems that those who missed the movie are missing out. It has often been said that the Harry Potter has defined our generation as many fans have grown with the character. The last movie will surely be a bittersweet ending for this captivated audience.
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