17 July 2011

Expectation

This weekend saw the release of the last Harry Potter movie. Sue-z and I saw it and like it a lot. My pockect size review is: see it. If you did not see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (part one) then renting it and viewing it first is a good idea.

Have you ever stood in line awaiting the moment when a Harry Potter movie is released or attended a release party at a major book store for a Potter book? These were amazing events. There was I in my every day dress but wearing (complementary) Potter spectacles surrounded by cheerful young people in Ravernclaw and Grifendorf robes awaiting a book. The book, released at midnight was reviewed, by kids, in the morning on network TV and the Net.

What I wonder will offer us such expectation and joy again? The last American release of anything with this sort of happy expectation was the last of the Star Wars movies, decades ago now. Dame Rawlings is done with Potter books and each now has its movie. Where do we turn for magic?

Great writers – Rawlings and great producers – Lucas happen rarely. And when they fulfill their expectation the gap to the next can span a lot of years. I fear this was my last such experience. I mourn the waiting, counting the days, my dau-in-law actually had a screen saver on her smart phone counting down the hours. She and Drew have also seen the movies now.

Where to the expectation? We shall miss it!

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

The only thing sadder than the kids in line for these tedious movies and pointless books was the lineups of adults in Hoggwartts robes, waving their wands around. Like the twits who followed "Star Warrs" and "Lord of the Ringss", mostly middle class white people with too much time and a little extra cash, trying to "feel magic and mystery!"
In other words, Mainline Protestantism's alter ego.

JimB said...

How sad that anyone needs to belittle the fun so many love. J K Rawlings books have been a major force in an entire generation's return to reading. Even if they were not excellent books and they are, that would be a great value.

As to the skin color of the fans, I guess I saw different crowds but even if most of the kids were one ethnicity or another why would that invalidate the experience?

I suppose any popular culture icon is a target but I do not think you hit it.

FWIW
jimB

Anonymous said...

I don't understand why some people look down on some things (i.e. curling)as being "all white" but not other things (i.e. Mainline Protestantism/Unitarianism/Quakerism). Your private schools have to be integrated but not your social lives?

JimB said...

It is not even remotely true that the churches you dislike are either de facto or de jure all white. I actually know for instance an African American Unitarian. Not a big deal, a coincidence.

In any case, this post had once upon a time, a topic. I suggest we return to it.

FWIW
jimB

Anonymous said...

Like how boring the books and movies are? And how some people get obsessed with fictional characters and base their lives on them and what they think they want them to do?
Rather like a religion, in fact.

JimB said...

Nope.

FWIW
jimB

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