Happy Birthday Harry Potter!

On this day in 1980, the boy who lived, the chosen one, the Quidditch and Goblet of Fire champion, the destroyer of the Dark Lord, Harry Potter, was born.  He shares a birthday (although not birth year) with his creator, the magnificent muggle storyteller J.K. Rowling.  On this day every year, I like to give my own private thanks to Rowling and the extraordinary thing she has done for me, and for all her readers - she has given us THE literary classic of our time.  We all waited patiently at our local bookstores, just before the midnight book release, year after year, in anticipation of what was to come for Harry.  Not once did I expect to fall so hard for this series, or the characters within.  I celebrated Harry's accomplishments, and my heart broke with his during his most trying hours.  There is nothing that pulls at the heartstrings more than an orphan's story, and this young hero earned his place in both the magical and muggle worlds.  I can't thank Rowling enough, and my only wish is to one day have the opportunity to thank her in person...through a shower of overwhelmed tears.

From the bottom of my heart, and the depths of my bookworm soul, I thank you Jo.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

 -M.

The magnificent genius.

This young, almost helpless image is what is in my head when I think of Harry.

I await a patron (protector)

Happy Birthday, you two!

Harry Potter Art

Each country that produces the Harry Potter series gets to choose an illustrator, and as Americans, we are fortunate that the Scholastic series of Harry Potter books are beautifully illustrated by Mary Grandpre.  Not only did she design the covers, she also illustrated a brief plate that comes along with each new chapter in each of the books ( J.K. Rowling herself has said that Grandpre's series is her favorite).  Here are just a few of Grandpre's designs.

For those adults who think they are too cool to carry around a Grandpre edition, there are these designed by illustrator M.S. Corley.

...and for those in the San Gabriel Valley area, for the next 20 days you can visit Gallery Nucleus in Alhambra to check out the current exhibit:
http://www.gallerynucleus.com/gallery/exhibition/244

These are my favorite pieces in the show. Enjoy!
-M.

British Actors, Anyone???

One of the most obvious things about the Harry Potter films is the all-British casting.  This allows for REAL British and Scottish accents, none of that phony Madonna shit.  Many of these actors have theater backgrounds, and some have even been nominated for Oscars.  These are a few of my personal favorites.
-M.

Gary Oldman as Sirius Black, Harry's Godfather

John Cleese as Sir Nicholas De Mimsy-Porpington, aka Nearly Headless Nick

Ralph Fiennes as Lord Voldemort

David Tennant (Doctor Who and Hamlet!!!!) as Barty Crouch

Rhys Ifans as Xenophilius Lovegood, Luna's dad, publisher of The Quibbler, and Deathly Hallows believer

Kenneth Branagh, Shakespearean actor and director, as Gilderoy Lockhart

Helena Bonham Carter as the maniacal Bellatrix Lestrange

Julie Walters as Molly Weasley, mother of 7 and mother-figure to Harry Potter

Emma Thompson as Professor Sybil Trelawney