Review: The Seekers Guide to Harry Potter
| | 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 ReviewA 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.
Jan
26
Some great new pictures have hit the web today that give further clues as to what will be included in the WB Studio Tour: The Making of Harry Potter, the amazing new attraction opening at the end of March at Leavesden Studios, where all the Harry Potter films were made. The photos show parts of Privet Drive, what looks like the Potters’ house in Godric’s Hollow, part of the Hogwarts bridge and the Knight Bus. Here is a statement from Warner Bros. via Magical-Menagerie:
The iconic, triple decker Knight Bus today rolls into Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter, which opens 31st March 2012. Taking its place among the many authentic sets, props and costumes from the eight Harry Potter films, the Knight Bus debuted in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban™ and was one of the most complicated pieces to create in the production.
John Richardson, Special Effects Supervisor, said: ”The Knight Bus was not a CGI Creation as many people thought but in fact a real-life working bus. It was constructed by cutting up two iconic Routemaster buses, reworking the structure and bolting it all back together to provide one bus with three decks. One interesting challenge that arose during the shooting of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban was that we could not drive the vehicle across London due to the number of low bridges in and around the capital. This meant that we had to transport the bus in two pieces between locations and put it back together as required for filming.”
Get the whole story »
Jan
26
Tom Felton, who plays the amazing character Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter series, is scheduled to appear at MegaCon 2012, courtesy of hypable.com. MegaCon, which is short for Mega Convention, is a convention that caters to comic book, sci-fi, anime, fantasy, gaming and multi-genre communities. This years MegaCon is from February 17-19 and is in the Orange County Convention Center Hall D in Orlando, Florida.
Felton will host a panel about his work on the Potter films as Malfoy on Saturday the 18th at 10:20am. He will also be available for photos on February 17 at 4pm, February 18 at noon and 4:35pm, and February 19 at noon.
You can learn more information about MegaCon and other special guests here.
Jan
26
With Oscar noms just coming out and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 not getting the recognition it deserves, it is time for some happy news. An update from hypable.com on the Wizarding World of Harry Potter’s Orlando expansion has just become available. According to the theme park fansite Screamscape, construction markers have appeared from the closed Jaws area and continue south.
What you ask is south? The Wizarding World, that’s right. Rumors surfaced stating that the expansion will include a Hogwarts Express to join Universal Studios to Islands of Adventure (where Wizarding World is currently located).
From Screamscape:
According to one source demolition work in the old Jaws area has been going full steam ahead this week, as Amity will soon be nothing more than a giant muddy crater as the work crews are said to be moving quite fast on this. Elsewhere, sources tell us that a bunch of survey markings can now be found all along the main backstage road leading toward the Jaws/Amity area. No word yet on if they stretch all the way from Amity to the Wizarding World or IoA or not, but this sounds like the start of the Hogwarts Express to me. So far markings have been spotted in the area behind Soundstage 33 and down behind the Revenge of the Mummy attraction building.
Universal Studios confirmed the expansion in December, and since then numerous signs of expansion have been seen in Universal Studios which is separate from Islands of Adventure. The expansion is said to be a Diagon Alley type of land with the Hogwarts Express connecting the two parks. This same rumor stated that construction would begin in February. For now, I can only hope that if I go in March I can find out more.
Thanks to Screamscape and hypable.com!
