Favourite cast member of the Harry Potter movies?
This is nearly impossible to say, as the creme-de-la-creme is acting in the seven movies. I mean there is Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith, Bill Nighy, Gary Oldman, Helena Bonham Carter, and so many more I could name. Still, my favourite character of the trio has always been Hermione and I have a special fondness for Emma Watson, not only because she is so effortlessly beautiful, but also because she is a really decent actress but without the diva-ness or the allures. I think she engaged with great other projects and uses her voice for the less fortunate and women's rights, so one can only love her for that, right?
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Who is your favourite director?
Pretty related to the previous question. I loved Chris Columbus and his approach because the magic was literally oozing out of the movies and it all felt really Harry-Potter-ish. He managed to capture the magic, the mystery and the Harry Potter feeling everyone fell in love with in the books already. I would also daresay he is the director people will remember best if asked about the Harry Potter movies - even though he only directed only the first two! And moving on to my choice for worst: I think Alfonso Cuaron completely screwed up the third film. As one film itself it wasn't that bad; however, you simply cannot change everything in one film from the landscape to the uniforms and suddenly let them run around like overly cool people, it's no match. Honestly, I'm not sure whether that's on him, but I really disliked that about the movie. You cannot make such changes amidst a series of movies... What was your favourite Harry Potter movie?
I think this is a very difficult question because it depends on whether the movie truest to the book or the coolest movie to watch. Truest to the movie I definitely think 1 and 2 are unbeatable and I think the worst one was the fourth because there was far too much going on in this year to squeeze it into one movie... I probably liked the fifth one best because there were so many cool features like the Black house, the battle and the end and the introduction of Luna Lovegood and Umbridge (how much I hate the latter...). However, the most bookish feeling I get when watching the first two because they are so detailed, mainly due to the fact that in the first there are simply not as many things happening as in the thicker books... Epilogue or no epilogue?
Stupid question! Of course epilogue! It's probably the part I have read most of the Potter books because I love it! I love Jo for giving Harry a family and making sure we know how well he's doing with his family. She also once said in an interview that it would have been neater to kill him (and many STUPID fans wished for that - they are surely these terrible Slytherin "Harry Potter fans". You can't be pro Slytherin and claim you're a true HP fan, just my opinion...). However, she thought it was much nobler to rebuild a world worth living in and giving Harry the task of doing that. I love that! Well done, Jo, and all you suckers out there who wished him dead or think you can dictate Jo's writing, go to hell! What was your Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows book release experience like?
Well, I was in Innsbruck when part 7 was published and we did what we always did. We went to the midnight book launch in our local bookstore, bought three copies (one for each child), went home and immediately started reading. I was always the first one to finish (because I kept reading all night) and I would threaten my other family members to spoil them with information they hadn't read yet. Far worthier to mention was the release of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, as I was in London when it was published. It was in 2005 and I and my then best friend went to London and, co-incidentally, the publication of the new Potter book fell in this time frame. It was amazing! There was a huge table full with Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans, people dressed up as Hogwarts students (my friend and I were wearing pink hoodies, jeans and Time-Turners - film 3 had just been released and the Potter fans among you will know what that means...). Shortly before midnight, two "wizards" performed and then we could finally buy the book and my friend and I spent the whole night reading (we were pretty tired the next day). It was amazing. Today is Harry Potter Day! I have just come from watching FBAWTFT, simply because I recently watched all the HP movies but still wanted to dive into the magical world on this magical day.
Today is Jo Rowling's 52nd birthday and Harry's 37th birthday. The two blessed souls, of course, share a birthday and we only want to wish them the best. Both are a tremendous inspiration for all kinds of people and we can learn kindness, loyalty and perseverance from them. Of course, intrinsically, Harry and Jo are one, and yet they're not. She has created a character so beloved, understood and inspirational, he has become his own person. So now, 20 years after he was born (in book form) and 52 years into Jo's life, let's remember why we all love the books she gave us. Harry Potter is not a book - at least it isn't for me. You could probably even say it is a sort of lifestyle. Harry Potter wasn't a book I read as a child, it was my life. I breathed and pumped Harry Potter, my childhood WAS Harry Potter. From the moment on I had read it, I was hooked and we fell in love instantly and still are madly in love until today. When I feel the books, when I crack the back and open the pages, it's like coming home. I know I am about to go on a magnificent journey with my best friends, and no one can take that away from me - and I know many other people feel the same way about the books and the HP universe. However, I do not only want to thank Harry Potter for giving me so much joy in my life. Of course, I also want to thank and wish happy birthday to the creator of it all. Thank you, Jo, for not only bringing Harry to life but for making it clear to me that I want to be a writer. I have always told and written stories, but Harry Potter has stimulated my creativity and way of thinking in such a massive way that now I know I NEED to be a writer. In fact, I am a writer. I cannot stop writing and I owe it to you and your imagination, Jo. And I am sure you haven't inspired only me, but so many other people and for that I can only say thank you and Happy Birthday to you! PS. I made a cake for Harry and Jo. It is Quidditch-inspired and with lots of fantasy, you might be able to see it ;-) Name a part that makes you teary.
OK, I'm going to tell you a story. Hundreds of years ago, I did an internship at a bank. It was summer, I was fifteen and I was fucking bored. I didn't have much to do and I hated the work; however, it was also the summer Harry Potter 7 was released. What a magical day! Anyway, I took my book with me to work to have something to do (and then to be told off by my boss because I had to LOOK as if I was doing something and shouldn't be reading...seriously, what is wrong with this world in which people pretend to do things to seemingly make something look better...). It was a hot summer afternoon and the book was coming to a close and Harry was wandering through the forest to get to Voldemort to sacrifice himself. He used the stone of resurrection and his parents, Sirius and Remus appear. I swear, I was sitting at my desk, weeping so hard I was just happy everyone else was on lunch break. I was shaking inconsolably because it was such a touching and sad scene. I hated to know that Remus would be among the many fathers who would not live to meet his son and I hated that Harry couldn't have his parents or Sirius as a decent stand-in (goodness, I'm starting to weep right now). Anyway, it wasn't the death scenes that rendered me inconsolable but this touching moment of connection and prove that love will always conquer death, which ultimately is the message of this wonderful book. What is one thing you would change about the plot?
This is a tricky question because you don't meddle with the master (Oh, almighty Jo). I have always been opposed to fans who thought it was their place to dictate Jo what to write and she knows the world and characters best and should decide what happens. However, if I had the power to change one thing, I would definitely resurrect Fred Weasley. Of all the deaths, his was the least that made sense and I am so eternally sad for Mrs Weasley and George. Fred was too funny, too good and far too young to die and I would be happy knowing he married, had children and was a funny and wonderful Dad, so that would be probably one thing... How did you first get into Harry Potter?
What an excellent question and as with 9/11 or other major incidents that changed your life, I assume everyone how the magical journey with Harry started. I actually got into Harry Potter quite late, as it wasn't as a big deal in Austria as it was in Britain or America. Only when the movie franchise started and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire was published, my attention was captured. I haven't watched any of the movies before reading the books, so much for that. I can distinctly remember that my mum brought home two books, one for me and one for my elder sister. My elder sister got Harry Potter as my mum had heard about it and I got The Wild Chicks by Cornelia Funke. I was furious that my big sister got such an interesting-looking book and I didn't and I refused to read my for some time and only after I had read Harry Potter I eventually read it (it's quite a nice book but nothing compared to Harry Potter). Anyway, from page one, I was hooked. I LOVED it! I loved the magic, I loved the characters and The Famous Five by Enid Blytton was pushed off first place of book series and everything became about Harry Potter. All my parties were Harry Potter-themed, everything in my life was about magic, Hogwarts and spells. My walls were plastered with anything I could find on Harry Potter and my mum sewed me a complete Hogwarts uniform (God, bless her for that). I wasn't a Harry Potter fan, I was a Harry Potter maniac, and still am up to this day. Harry Potter was my childhood and now I am quite happy I got in so late because I was always approximately Harry's age and could grow with the books, which was simply magnificent. So, thank you, Harry for my childhood, you made it so much brighter, better and greater and you are my favourite even after all these years. Always. |
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