News Flash: Sybill Trelawney Consults at Davos![JAB]

January 25, 2008 by 5 Comments

Courtesy of our friends at hpana.com, we discover a possible reason for the recent World Economic Meltdown Sybill Trelawney has been consulting at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland. Actually, Sybill was masquerading as the actress Emma Thompson at the time, but HogPro’s know what happens when Madame Trelawney begins to supply guidance…’nuff said.

Under the headline: Laughter works magic for ‘Harry Potter’ star at Davos forum Hellomagazine.com reports:

When Emma Thompson borrowed from John Cleese’s Handbook Of Silly Walks to address a high-powered forum about pressing global issues, it worked a treat. The charismatic actress grabbed everyone’s attention at the annual meeting of the world’s most influential global players in Davos, Switzerland.

Check out the rest of the article here.

On a [slightly] more serious note, after she gets her degree (honorary) from Harvard, will J.K. Rowling be going to Davos next year? If so, what might she add to their discussions? Comments?

Filed Under: Hog Pro Notes, Unlocking Harry Potter

FYI: Amy H. Sturgis Interview–Read It! [JAB]

January 22, 2008 by 5 Comments

HogPro All-Pro Amy H. Sturgis, seen frequently in these pages under her blogline AHS, proves to be a delightful interviewee on Tim O’Shea’s blog. In the space of a relatively short and lively discussion, she carries us from 1813 and the world of Tecumseh to the uncharted future of C.S Lewis’ Science Fiction with a delightful interlude in the 1845 world of Emilie Flygare-Carlén and her The Magic Goblet, a book which Sturgis had to literally reconstruct from pieces. And yes, dear Rowling purists, there is a substantive central section dealing with subjects Hogwartish.

It is written compactly enough to satisfy those who want only the gist and want it right now, yet it is filled with a great variety of links to transport those who wish to dawdle more leisurely into a myriad of details about each of the various topics introduced.

I highly recommend it to all!…Aw shucks, stop reading my drivel and go read Amy’s fascinating interview!

Filed Under: Hog Pro Notes, Unlocking Harry Potter

Harry & the Vatican–che non è di pani[JAB]

January 21, 2008 by 12 Comments

In early January of this year, Harry Potter e i doni della morte the Italian language version of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows went on sale in Italy.

In its January 14-15th issue, the newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano, dedicated a full page to a Pro vs. Con debate on the merits of the Harry Potter series as a whole. I have not been able to locate an English translation of the articles, however for those of you fluent in Italian, reprints of the originals are available here.

And then the fireworks began.

HogPro yvaine was first to weigh in with this observation from Agence France-Presse. While this summary does note that two sides were presented in the debate, it spends most of its ink describing how “…the future Pope Benedict XVI…” condemned the series in 2003. (More on this subject later…)

Shortly thereafter, John Granger forwarded me a note from Norwegian HogPro, Odd Sverre Hove calling attention to this article from Australia (what a small world the internet has given us!) which presents considerably more of the pro side of the debate, but focuses its discussion of the con side around the statment:

“Under the headline “The Double Face of Harry Potter”, an expert in English literature, Edoardo Rialti, argues in L’Osservatore Romano that the Pope – then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger – was right to worry.”

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Unlocking Harry Potter

Guest Post: Fairytales—A Postmodern Twist [JAB]

January 20, 2008 by 13 Comments

And now! By special request of the Hogwarts Professor himself, a special presentation from HogPro’s own Cat Woman–Arabella Figg! But let us let her tell it in her own words:

Fairytales—A Postmodern Twist

By Deborah Chan (Muggle alias)/on this site All-Pro Arabella Figg

By now we’ve seen fairytales amusingly upended with postmodern twists in such films as the Shrek franchise and Hoodwinked. For the past few years, almost every treasured fairytale component and character has been fodder for brilliant parody.

And not just standard fairytales.

Santa Claus has also been postmodernized in films such as foul-mouthed Bad Santa and Tim Allen’s The Santa Clause franchise.

In December’s amusing TV Christmas special, Shrek the Halls, Shrek learns how to “do Christmas” according to a textbook. Despite the mayhem that ensues, he at last fulfills the final necessary instruction—to read to his children “the Christmas story,” which turns out to be . . . [Read more…]

Filed Under: Unlocking Harry Potter

Goblet of Fire: Padfoot Returns & The Madness of Mr. Crouch (Chapters 27 & 28)

January 3, 2008 by 1 Comment

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: Chapters 27-28

Mark True statements with a “T” and False statements with an “F.” Spelling Counts. Write what you think about the Discussion Points in the Comment Boxes. Spelling Waivers accepted there.

1. _____ Rita Skeeter exacts her written revenge on Hermione for sassing her in Hogsmeade; the Daily Prophet prints “Harry Potter’s Secret Heartache” painting her as what Ron calls “a scarlet woman” and the hate mail arrives in droves.

2. _____ Snape threatens Harry with Veritaserum because he is certain Harry is stealing things from his supply room. Harry overhears Professors Karkaroff and Snape confer urgently about something on Igor’s right inner forearm. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Chapter Quiz, Unlocking Harry Potter