Harry Potter coming to an end. :(

[Jennarator]

It's finally hitting me that the Harry Potter movies are coming to an end! The books and movies will be so very missed.

My children have thier costumes ready for the show and are so excited for the last movie they can hardly stand it. My children have had Harry part of their whole lives. We have had Harry Potter parties, gone to book release parites, been to and own all that movies (thus far.)

I hate to admit I might be just a little emotional about this all coming to an end.

Ok, maybe is we win a million bucks, we might someday go to the theme park....

Thoughts?

Memories?

[Jennarator]

Am I the only LDS.net Harry Potter fan? Or maybe I am the only Harry Potter nutcase.

[NeuroTypical]

I feel that way every time a StarTrek series ends. But for Harry Potter, the only thing I do is stir the pot by hoping for a sequel to The Golden Compass, since they're basically the same thing.

[Jennarator]

Haven't seen the Golden Compass.....perhaps I should look it up. Is it an older movie? Book?

[Backroads]

I must disagree that His Dark Materials and Harry Potter are basically the same thing.

But yes, I am a fan of Harry Potter! I will be seeing the movie tonight. I will be dressed up as Tonks. It will be brilliant.

I remember picking up the first book at a school book fair because everyone was talking about it. I quite liked it. My little sister took the fan reins over from there, though we all sort of bonded over Harry Potter while my grandmother was dying.

I remember when the 4th book came out. I was not intending on buying it that day as I assumed copies would be hard to find. But during shopping with my friend and our moms, we found two copies. We raced home, locked ourselves in my room and read while my little sister through a tantrum outside.

I was in college when the 5th book was released. By then I was preordering stuff on Amazon. So the book came the day of the release. My dear roommate was civil enough to allow me to read the book first that I had paid for... and then locked me in my room to force me to read it straight through. She ran off with her fiance for an hour and I was released from my prison. Haha.

I was working at Boy Scout camp when the 6th and 7th were released, both times. Books quickly filled our camp staff and I have a lovely picture of "waiting at the gate" (a process in which staff would greet the incoming campers each Monday morning) in which all people in the photo were in some way reading Harry Potter whether by book, reading over someone's shoulder, or listening to it on CD. When the 7th book came out, we did a special cheer (at our camp flag ceremonies, the troops would perform cheers and we sould respond with silly phrases). Usually our response cheers were at least semi-popular, but we might as well have shot everyone when we all cried out in unison "Harry Potter dies in Book 7".

Another popular camp thing we did was our Harry Potter code. We were a staff that was far too close together and people were reading the book at different speeds/ waiting for an opportunity to read the book. So we couldn't very well discuss the book. So we developed a complex code in which camp staffers and objects and places were substituted for book characters, objects, and places.

I do recall one moment at lunch when this backfired. Forrest had died. However, the real Forrest overheard this and using the code's logic, immediately figured out who he represented. He was in complete shock.

One time we convinced "Snape" an itty bitty 14-year-old staffer to give a "blue card" (a killing curse) to "Dumbledore" (our program director).

[john doe]

My wife and kids will be up late tonight saying goodbye to Dunderdork, Snipe, the Half-Baked Prince, and Malfeasance. I'll be sleeping soundly, and hope they don't wake me when they get home.

Edited July 14, 2011 by john doe

[Jennarator]

I must disagree that His Dark Materials and Harry Potter are basically the same thing.

But yes, I am a fan of Harry Potter! I will be seeing the movie tonight. I will be dressed up as Tonks. It will be brilliant.

I remember picking up the first book at a school book fair because everyone was talking about it. I quite liked it. My little sister took the fan reins over from there, though we all sort of bonded over Harry Potter while my grandmother was dying.

I remember when the 4th book came out. I was not intending on buying it that day as I assumed copies would be hard to find. But during shopping with my friend and our moms, we found two copies. We raced home, locked ourselves in my room and read while my little sister through a tantrum outside.

I was in college when the 5th book was released. By then I was preordering stuff on Amazon. So the book came the day of the release. My dear roommate was civil enough to allow me to read the book first that I had paid for... and then locked me in my room to force me to read it straight through. She ran off with her fiance for an hour and I was released from my prison. Haha.

I was working at Boy Scout camp when the 6th and 7th were released, both times. Books quickly filled our camp staff and I have a lovely picture of "waiting at the gate" (a process in which staff would greet the incoming campers each Monday morning) in which all people in the photo were in some way reading Harry Potter whether by book, reading over someone's shoulder, or listening to it on CD. When the 7th book came out, we did a special cheer (at our camp flag ceremonies, the troops would perform cheers and we sould respond with silly phrases). Usually our response cheers were at least semi-popular, but we might as well have shot everyone when we all cried out in unison "Harry Potter dies in Book 7".

Another popular camp thing we did was our Harry Potter code. We were a staff that was far too close together and people were reading the book at different speeds/ waiting for an opportunity to read the book. So we couldn't very well discuss the book. So we developed a complex code in which camp staffers and objects and places were substituted for book characters, objects, and places.

I do recall one moment at lunch when this backfired. Forrest had died. However, the real Forrest overheard this and using the code's logic, immediately figured out who he represented. He was in complete shock.

One time we convinced "Snape" an itty bitty 14-year-old staffer to give a "blue card" (a killing curse) to "Dumbledore" (our program director).

Sounds like fun! We did parties where the drinks were in the "potions Corner" and the were things like italian sodas and tang that people could mix up them selves and all the ingredients were in old looking jars and fun containers.

I will miss the book and movie release parties were we all dressed up and won prizes.

I am currently re-reading all the books, but I have been sick and haven't finished them. Oh well, that's not going to stop me from going to the movie. Only I will see it tomorrow evening, not at midnight. I don't want to be too sleepy to miss anything. :)

[slamjet]

The end of Harry Potter. It's about stink'n time.

[Suzie]

The end of Harry Potter?? :tears:

Not really...

[Just_A_Guy]

First movie I saw in a theater after my mission was the Sorcerer's Stone.

So to me, this movie is sort of like the closure of my "RM" (or at least my "twentysomething") phase of life.

Or something.

I'm getting old.

[lizzy16]

I'm going to the midnight showing. And, i'm dressing up

[Suzie]

First movie I saw in a theater after my mission was the Sorcerer's Stone.

So to me, this movie is sort of like the closure of my "RM" (or at least my "twentysomething") phase of life.

Or something.

I'm getting old.

Getting old? Oh my goodness! You're just a baby! :) I must confess I thought you was much older.

[applepansy]

JK Rowling announced a few weeks ago the interactive website Pottermore: Register your interest :) Its not up and running yet but it will be.

I love the books and movies.

Jennarator, read some reviews about the Golden Compass. When the book came out there was a big negative brooohaha in the Christian community. It was even louder and more negative when the movie came out. I didn't know much about it until my neighbor told me about it. I didn't read the book but I read the authors words about it and why it was written. I wasn't impressed, just the opposite. We saw the movie and I was less impressed.

I was going to post what I remember reading about this but I can't find the link to the interview the author gave.

[Jamie123]

First movie I saw in a theater after my mission was the Sorcerer's Stone.

In Britain the book and movie are both called "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone", which was Rowling's original title, and also the correct name for the stone itself (Philosopher's stone - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia).

I don't know why the Americans insisted on changing it. Perhaps they were worried people would think it was a philosophy textbook, and not buy it.

[Vort]

I don't know why the Americans insisted on changing it. Perhaps they were worried people would think it was a philosophy textbook, and not buy it.

You mean, why did the hilariously misnamed "Scholastic" insist on the Americanification of an English novel? Just wait until you see their Collected Works of Bill Shake-spear.

[NeuroTypical]

I used to work for a translation company, and yes absolutely, we would take people's money to translate things from UK English to American English and vice-versa.

[Jennarator]

One of the first versions of the Americanized Harry Potter had the title changed but a couple places in the book it still called the stone the philosipher's stone. I don't know if it still does, but I remember reading it the first time I read the book.

[Jennarator]

I'm going to the midnight showing. And, i'm dressing up

Wer're going tonight. How was it?

[Backroads]

Currently in the middle of a Harry Potter hangover, but I was on the whole extremely impressed with the movie. Bawled my eyes out.

[Backroads]

JK

Jennarator, read some reviews about the Golden Compass. When the book came out there was a big negative brooohaha in the Christian community. It was even louder and more negative when the movie came out. I didn't know much about it until my neighbor told me about it. I didn't read the book but I read the authors words about it and why it was written. I wasn't impressed, just the opposite. We saw the movie and I was less impressed.

I was going to post what I remember reading about this but I can't find the link to the interview the author gave.

I have mixed feelings about the Golden Compass. I had read the His Dark Materials trilogy twice because there were indeed some things I liked about it, but on the whole I'm not a very big fan of them. I think they're overly preachy, have rather bland writing, and the characters are extremely two-dimensional. I think their popularity relies on the controversial nature.

I was excited for the movie, but I hated it. Even in "movie making" criteria it was terrible.

[Backroads]

I used to work for a translation company, and yes absolutely, we would take people's money to translate things from UK English to American English and vice-versa.

Thank goodness you do.

While the sorcerer's stone originally confused me (because I already knew about the Philosopher's stone), I'm usually grateful for American English translations. I've read British books that never get translated. Try reading Cressida Cowell to kids. There are entire paragraphs no one understands.

[Connie]

My kids have been calling He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named Baldimort all day. I guess that's accurate. He is pretty hairless.

[dahlia]

I've seen the movies, some on cable, some in the theater, but most of the time I'm mumbling under my breath because I can see where she stole from Tolkien. It's been awhile, but back in my college days there were classes on fantasy lit, with significant space given over to Tolkien. I used to read the trilogy every year for years. I'm sure Tolkien would like to come back and have a nice lawsuit against Rowlings. That would be worth watching!

Now that I think about it, my elders and I were talking about this and we came to the belief that there was nothing eternal (spiritually speaking) or philosophically redeeming about the Potter movies (none of us had read the books). They were entertaining, but that's it. You can't make any life decisions based on Potter; you can after a deep reading of Tolkien.

Still, I was a bit miffed to find that the son had gone to the midnight showing and not taken me. : (

[lizzy16]

The movie was excellent!

So, there were these two guys in front of me. And, being a 17 yr old girl (currently in DC on vacation) who loves talking to strangers I was quite curios why these two good looking guys went alone to the movies. So, I lean forward and talk to them a bit. And, watch the movie. Half way through the movie one leans his head on the others shoulder. My thoughts : "Aww. there such good friends they don't mind being all 'un-manly" how cute."

And, i watch the movie more.

I go to the car and my mom and aunt are talking about the two gay teenagers in front of us being all 'intimate' during the movie.

I didn't even consider they could be gay. I am so unobservant. I guess I was foucasing on the movie..like i should have been.

[Mahone]

In Britain the book and movie are both called "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone", which was Rowling's original title, and also the correct name for the stone itself (Philosopher's stone - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia).

I don't know why the Americans insisted on changing it. Perhaps they were worried people would think it was a philosophy textbook, and not buy it.

She expressed regret at letting scholastic change the book title afterwards. Ultimately the reason was because, at the time, she was just desperate to be published - she didn't have the power to compromise too much with them at the time.

She obviously didn't let them do any such thing again in the subsequent books.