Reality Films has produced a new DVD entitled The Seekers Guide to Harry Potter, and UK distributor Wienerworld kindly sent us some free copies to review and give away to you visitors as competition prizes.
Here is the official synopsis of the film:
The Seekers Guide to Harry Potter takes you on a journey and exploration into the underlying themes of J.K Rowling’s fantastically successful Harry Potter series. Drawing from her unique background and personal experiences, the author provides original insights into the mysticism, magic and symbolism within the world of Harry Potter. Dr. Geo Trevarthen is an academic who has painstakingly researched the Harry Potter craze. She goes far beyond the normal criteria and steps into a world of real magic and its shamanic past. In doing so she reveals the origins of many of the elements found within the novels and films.
HPSupporters Review
A Seeker's Guide to Harry Potter is an interesting exploration of the underlying symbolism, themes and messages in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series.
A small scale, intimate production, it is shot in the appropriate location of Edinburgh (where JK penned much of the series) and is presented to us by Dr Geo Trevarthen who comes from a background of Shamanism. The film, therefore, may not sit comfortably with everybody. Its author's ideas and beliefs as well as the style, imagery and music used throughout strongly convey this spritual Celtic discipline.
Nevertheless, there were some fascinating elements examined in depth by this avid reader of our favourite story. She probes some real world magical and alchemic history and how they inspired JK's writing. For example I learnt about the ancient origins of characters' names, the symbolic nature and history of the golden snitch, the influences behind the four school houses, and the layers of meaning beneath these.
Dr Trevarthen also makes intriguing parallels between different parts of the novels and gives her thoughts on how some of Rowling's messages can connect with our own real world lives. One of the interesting issues she raised is that of love, a key feature in Harry's life, and something that she says is hugely important in the early stages of real-life childhood, bringing her in line with today's psychological and socialogical theories. Further themes she explores include the moral neutrality of magic, following true will over whim, and Death and the triangle of the three Hallows.
With future re-reads of the HP books I'm sure I shall now view many components of the canon in much more depth than I previously have. The film reinforces for me what a triumph of storytelling J.K. Rowling has created and the incredible expanse of meaning behind her stories.
For those Harry Potter fans with spiritual inclinations like those of this film's author and want to look at the novels from that perspective, or for those merely with an interest in getting beneath the surface of the books, this is a film you'll very much appreciate. For me, the DVD shall fit nicely in my collection of all things Harry Potter.
If you like the sound of this DVD then tomorrow evening on Twitter we will be giving away a copy to a lucky follower. Unfortunately, for postal reasons, the competition will only be open to people from the UK.
Following Deathly Hallows Part 2′s Visual Effects win at the Baftas and ahead of the Oscars (where Harry Potter is in nominated in the same category), VFX supervisor Tim Burke has been doing a few interviews, including one very lengthy one with Studio Daily.
Tim talks about the differences between the effects on DH2 compared with the previous films, discusses working with several small VFX companies in London for different aspects of the film, gives some insight into the creation of a digital Hogwarts as opposed to using miniatures, talks a bit about 3D, the Gringotts ‘roller coaster’ and the CG giants and spiders and the dragon, mentions last-minute changes to the death of Voldemort and also describes his favourite shots from the last film. Get the whole story »
As you are probably aware, Daniel Radcliffe has been to all corners of the globe recently promoting his new film The Woman in Black. Last week, he was a guest on the BBC’s always entertaining Graham Norton Show alongside Cuba Gooding Jr, Omid Djalili and Sinead O’Connor. Watch that in three parts right here:
Nickelodeon announced on February 17 the nominees for the 2012 Kids Choice Awards and Harry Potter is up for four awards. Harry Potter andthe Deathly Hallows Part 2 is up for Favorite Movie, Daniel Radcliffe is up for Favorite Actor, Emma Watson is up for Favorite Actress and the most interesting category, I think, will be Favorite Book. The entire Harry Potter series is going up against the Twilight series, The Hunger Games series, and the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. I will definitely be tuning in to see how that category goes. Voting doesn’t start until February 24 so mark your calendars and tune in on March 31 at 8pm EST. KCA will be hosted live by Will Smith on Nick.
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