Hello. My name is Katie Labovitz, and I'm addicted to the Harry Potter franchise.
There. It's in print. I can't take it back.
Seriously, though, I am a fan of all things Harry Potter and have been for some time now. Harry Potter isn't just for little kids, so I honestly don't feel ashamed for admitting that I like the books and movies. As Harry and his peers come of age, they experience mature problems like political corruption, isolation and loss of friends and family. That's a deep subject matter for anyone, let alone characters who aren't even adults yet.
I will even argue that Harry Potter is more socially relevant than the Twilight franchise. Twilight has been called the new Harry Potter and even Twilight author Stephanie Meyer is being labeled the new J.K. Rowling
but I whole-heartedly disagree.
Back off Twi-hards, I gave Twilight a chance -‑ I saw the film on opening weekend, read the entire series, and then saw the movie again. I can understand the mystique and appeal of Edward and Jacob, but as a series, the Twilight books cannot hold a candle to the magical world of Harry Potter. Not only is the Potter series better written, but it has a bigger cast of characters who experience a wider variety of conflict which more closely relates problems that the reader can identify with. The final Harry Potter book (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows) is also a stronger conclusion to the series... Breaking Dawn was a literary disappointment and just felt forced.
I am a fan of the Harry Potter books and movies and consider them separate entertainment entities, though there are similarities. Both the books and films get better/stronger as each series progresses and I find it easier to go back and reread later installments because the quality is so much better than the earlier ones.
The Harry Potter books offer more plot lines than the films. Because the Harry Potter movies generally run between two and a half or three hours, a lot of material doesn't make it into the picture because of time restraints. In the books, there are more opportunities for the readers to get inside the minds of the characters and interpret the overall text for themselves.
As much as I love the books, I gravitate toward the films more. Looking back, the first two were fluff, but Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban was dark and intense... and I loved it. The cast alone is a reason to appreciate the series, as it is chock-full of some of the most talented British actors of the past 50 (Dame Maggie Smith, Alan Rickman, Michael Gambon, Emma Thompson... and the list goes on).
After what seemed like forever, the sixth film, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince was finally released yesterday While I couldn't attend an opening day screening due to academic commitments, I will definitely be seeing the film this weekend. Fellow Potter fans, I will see you there! 4
Opinion
Katie Labovitz
