Read the BBC article here. Three notes on the morning of release:
(1) It’s Beautiful. I’m thrilled. It’s been almost a quarter century since the film adaptations were made and it shows in the quality of the production. The Dursley scenes that were cartoonish in the Warner Brothers version of Stone here are haunting, hurtful, borderline horror. I think credit for this greater sensitivity to the text’s weight is due as least as much to the participation of the author and her film company, Bronte Studios, in this adaptation. If the shows are of the same brilliance as this teaser trailer, we are in for a delightful renaissance in Harry Potter fascination and study. Three Cheers!
(2) Note the Day of Release. As a maven on the Moderator Backchannels noted this morning, the trailer has been released on the western Feast Day of the Annunciation and the show will begin its run on Christmas Day. I struggle to think how the producers, marketers, and copyright holder could have signaled any more clearly the Christian content and the intentional transformational artistry of these stories.
(3) The Acting. I confess to being excited about having the faces of Daniel, Emma, and Rupert unfortunately imprinted on my imagination supplanted by the new child actors — and the new Dursleys being properly blonde! It’s only a two minute trailer but the little shown suggests that these child actors and the production’s decision makers might make the film adaptations of yesteryear an embarrassing memory soon.
Please share your first impressions in the comment boxes below!
A Shot by Shot Comparison of the Two Video Adaptations of the First Book
I think it’s perfection!! I am SO excited for this. Also, maybe we’ll get blue/bronze Ravenclaw with the Eagle mascot this time?