Can you be a ‘Fundamentalist’ and ‘Sorcerer’ Simultaneously?

May 7, 2011 by 3 Comments

You can if you are the President of Iran. According to an article in The Guardian (UK), Ahmadinejad Allies Charged with Sorcery, the confrontational leader is under fire in his own country both because of his “fundamentalist” Shia beliefs in the imminent return of the Mahdi and because his personnel are “charged with being ‘magicians’ and invoking djinns (spirits).” Imagine being accused of being the ideological hermaphrodite of Harry Hating and the very things that Harry Haters condemn (falsely) in Harry.

To be caught between a Rock and a Sorcerer’s Stone! Couldn’t happen to a nicer guy.

Filed Under: Hog Pro Notes, Uncategorized

Post-Reaping Report on Extra Casting for Hunger Games

April 19, 2011 by Leave a Comment

My friends who made it through epic wind and rain to the extra casting in Shelby on Saturday report that the line was long but moved swiftly, and that the movie folks were all trained by the Cinna school of “treating people like human beings, not cattle.”  The report from Shelby is positive that the film is Hunger Games, though everyone was warned not to say it out loud, creating a Voldemort-ish Taboo. My friends got positive feedback, especially since some are or are the parents of teenagers, and, if they get to do some work on the movie, promise to give us all the information they can. In the meantime, I’m just thrilled to see the process was not much like the actual Reaping, but seemed fun, easy, and professional. Let’s hope this is indicative of the way the production will be run.  Thanks, Connie, for the pictures! Follow me after the jump for more.

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Filed Under: Elizabeth Baird Hardy, Hunger Games, Movie Thoughts, Uncategorized Tagged With: ,

Hogwarts Coming to a Kindle near you?

April 4, 2011 by 8 Comments

For those of you who have been captured by the e-book craze, the sheer number of books available in this format is rivaled only by the books that are not available, or at least, which haven’t been available yet. Though we may enjoy Harry Potter’s adventures via audiobook, they have not yet been released to the e-reader crowd. J.K. Rowling now appears to be considering the possibility of releasing our favorite wizard to the e-book world. In this article, she is described as exhibiting some interest in the electronic market. While some of us may have loved the fact that our shared text could only be read on a printed page, others may be thrilled that we can take all seven books with us on airplane (really, if I could have any one object from the Wizarding World, it would be Hermione’s purse/self-storage unit, but I still like “real” books). What are your thoughts on the potential e-book release of the Hogwarts Adventures? Are you howling in indignation, laughing with delight, or scratching your head wondering what all the fuss is about?

Filed Under: Elizabeth Baird Hardy, Shared Text, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , ,

Deleted Scene to Whet Appetites for Deathly Hallows: Pt. 1 DVD out April 15

March 29, 2011 by 8 Comments

April 15 is usually a day to strike fear in the hearts of Americans. If the IRS doesn’t scare you (and really, those folks always look like Death Eaters in my imagination), maybe Voldemort will! So the movie folks are releasing the DVD of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 on that resonant date. If your tax woes are few (or so bad you need an escape), April 15 is looking like a good movie night (I’m looking forward to the big-screen release of The Conspirator that same day)! In anticipation of the big release, here is a sneak preview of a deleted scene (with embedded version after the jump).

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Filed Under: Movie Thoughts, Uncategorized Tagged With: , ,

Welcome New Folks and a Reminder to Listen to John Granger on NPR!

October 26, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Welcome to our readers who have learned about this blog during the big fall Deathly Hallows lecture tour! We are thrilled to have you in the hallowed halls of Hogwarts! Do please remember that fanged Frisbees are banned, as is dueling in the corridors! Check the links to the left to see what “classes” you’d like to take as you explore our conversations on all things Harry as well as other great books, themes, and thoughts (and some fun stuff, too)! Welcome, welcome!

After a great whirlwind tour here in Western NC, our headmaster spoke this morning on Charlotte Talks on NPR.  The conversation was super, and you can listen to the podcast if you didn’t catch it this morning.  It’s been great having John here in Western NC, and those of you who are next on his dance card are in for a real treat! Pictures after the jump!

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Filed Under: Uncategorized