Today, BBC announced that MERLIN, staring Bradley James and Colin Morgan, has been confirmed for a 4th series!
[We are] pleased to confirm that the magical world of Camelot will be returning next year for a fourth series of this fresh and modern retelling of a classic British legend.
The hit television show captivated over 6 million fans this past Saturday night and continues to do well in the ratings, despite being up against the X-Factor. “Merlin offers audiences an alternative treat on Saturday night,” says BBC controller of Drama Commissioning Ben Stephenson. Its also doing particurally well internationally, selling to 180 countries.
The drama enchants audiences of all ages with a clever adaptation of the Arthurian legend, depicting Arthur as Prince before his time as ruler of Camelot, and Merlin as his loyal servant – and secret sorcerer. At times outrageously funny (if somewhat cheesy), MERLIN hits everything right on the mark with its likable characters, breathtaking scenery, and engaging story lines. The show also boasts a large collection of well known guest stars including: Warwick Davis (Harry Potter), Mackenzie Crook (Pirates of the Carribean), Sarah Parish (The Holiday, Pillars of the Earth), Mariam Margolyes (Harry Potter), Charles heartbreakingly Dance (Alien 3), and Emilie Fox (Silent Witness).
MERLIN is currently midway into it’s 3rd season on BBC and will conclude on December 4th with the “nail biting” finale. While series 3 has yet to be released in America, BBC did confirm that SyFy has bought the show and will begin airing it shortly.
Filming for season 4 is set to begin in March 2011.
Need a MERLIN fix while you wait for next week’s episode (with guest star Warwick Davis)? Check out this interview from the set, shown at Comic Con 2010:
A small portion of a paper I am writing on the influence of Harry Potter on society. The assignment restricts page length, so the paper I’m turning in tomorrow will only discuss the novels’ influence on children and their literature. That portion of the essay should be up by Friday. Additional sections discussing different aspects of Potter’s impact will be released weekly until the premiere the Deathly Hallows movies.
(Note that, being a paper, there are extra flourishes such as citations).
Enjoy!
It’s like magic – the spell Harry Potter places on children. During the end of the 20th century, there was a severe lack of children who were “reading for fun”, or reading in general, for that matter. The blame cannot rightly be put on the increase in technology gaming, but more-so on the lack of a good children’s book. At the time, children “still tended to be regarded as mere adults in the making” (Duriez) and therefore did not need their own category of novel.
Then, in 1997, JK Rowling introduced a book that captured a child audience more successfully than any book since The Chronicles of Narnia, and “taught a generation of children about the power of fiction”, says reporter Sharon Sandrom. Justin Chandra, associate editor of Simon & Schuster’s Books for Young Read, explained the phenomenon. “Kids, including those who didn’t think of themselves as readers, were encouraged to read by all the excitement and attention that Potter created”. The result was astronomical. In a survey of 500 students, ages 5-17, and parents nationwide, more than half the kids said they did not read books for fun before the Harry Potter series. Aside from just getting children reading again, though, the novels did wonders for literacy; in the same survey, 76% of parents say their children performed better in school – and 65% of children agree. But it isn’t just the hype and publicity that makes the Potter novels so appealing to children.
The story of Harry Potter offers something that few other children’s novels have: characters and circumstances that are easily identifiable. The characters go through average schooldays, have average problems, and deal with average parents. “From the point of view of an imaginative child, the world is full [of] people who don’t understand you, make stupid rules, and want nothing to do with the unexpected or unseen,” writes Alsion Lurie, author of Boys and Girls Forever. “Harry’s story embodies the common childhood fantasy that the dreary adults and siblings you live with are not your real family; that you have more exciting parents and are somehow special and gifted.” The fantasy turns even more spectacular when children realize that magical world that Rowling created exists in the midst of our real world. “JK Rowling’s invented world of wizardry constantly interconnects with and interpenetrates the world we know. In fact, it is the same world but it is hidden from us” (Duriez). It is this imaginative reality that keeps children coming back for more – and more.
Look out for the rest of my essay on Friday! (or sooner!)
Warner Brothers released nine new TV spots for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows earlier today. Each is only about 30 seconds long, but all are chocked full of new footage . From the kiss with Ginny and Harry to the anticipated “Seven Potters in a Bra” scene, these trailers are a perfect appetizer for the movie.
For the first time in the trailers, we can experience some of Rowling’s classic humor. Unforgettable lines such as Fleur’s, “Don’t look at me! I’m hideous” and the twin’s “Look! We’re identical!” weren’t thrown out by screenwriters. In fact, these new trailers bring to light the writers and producer’s commitment to maintaining accuracy with the book; most of the dialogue present in trailers is identical to that of the book.
Quite conversely, however, a few of these focus on the darkness, terror, and despair in these books. We see clearly for the first time the whip Bellatrix uses on Hermione; we hear for the first time the infamous “Nagini – dinner” line; we feel the absolute desperation of Xenophilius and the choice he makes; we find ourselves chilled to the bone at the sight of dementors swarming through the Ministry.
Don’t have time to watch all nine? Here are the three you have to watch. (And tell me, then, that you resisted going and watching the rest).
TV Spot #7:
Can you spot: Harry running on a trolly? Hagrid and his turbo button? Dobby with Olivander and Luna at Malfoy Mannor?
It’s been almost two months since I’ve blogged. Not a single post in September.
Not that my mind wasn’t begging me to.
My site here has changed a little. New colors, new theme, but still the same Harry Potter-loving, soundtrack-listening, all-around geek me. I’ve discovered a few new things since August, including a frightening but absolutely thrilling addiction to Fox TV’s Fringe (I watched most of season 1, all of season 2, and what’s up of season 3 in the past two weeks).
Perhaps the most interesting, and unexpected, bit of news however was Warner Brother’s announcement a week ago that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I would not be released in 3-D due to time constraints (the movie would not have been completed in the highest quality before the November release date). The announcement received mixed reactions – some from avid 3-D fans who feel a bit cheated, and then other less annoyed ones from those who prefer 2-D anyway.
Even though I was planning on viewing Deathly Hallows in 3-D, I am thoroughly convinced that Warner Brothers has made the correct decision. The team has made huge strides to make Deathly Hallows the best movie of the bunch, and having an incomplete or low quality 3-D production would have been a huge deterrent to fans. Despite the massive revenue drops WB is taking because of this, they certainly have the support of the fans who are going to value their decision to give us the highest quality 2-D rather than shotty 3-D.
Don’t worry though, 3-D fans! Part II will be ready by for 3-D release in July of next year. Perhaps, if they feel up to it, WB will re-release Part I a month or so before Part II in 3-D.
Today, I perused Yahoo Answers for Harry Potter related questions. In addition to answering many simple questions such as “what is your favorite book?” or “How could I meet more Harry Potter fans?”, I found one particularly interesting question.
It seems almost silly at first, but when really thinking about it, I think there is something to be explored.
“Don’t you think Harry Potter is depicted in a stupid in the films? He tends to answer every question with another question, usually saying: What??? Even the most obvious declarations” ——User: Santiago V
We all know what he is asking. There have been times where a character has said something, and we know what they are trying to say, but the other characters don’t seem to get it. Are the characters just dumb? Are we, as the audience, too smart? Maybe Harry would have understood what was being said in the book, but in the film, he doesn’t seem to get it. Why?
And on the same level, why is it necessary for a character to explain things that we, the readers or the viewers already know?
It all comes down to the audience. When writing the screenplay, a writer has to be conscious of who is going to be seeing the movie. Have they read the books? Have they seen the previous movies? Are they old or young? Intelligent/educated viewers or pleasure viewers? Are they watching for the action or the story? I call it “audience awareness”.
When it comes to sharing knowledge with the audience, the writers must assume that the audience knows this, but doesn’t know that. For instance, even though the characters in the movie tell use the audience (to a certain degree) what a Pensive is, there is no actual case (to my knowledge) of Dumbledore telling Harry that “this strand of silver coming from my head is a memory”. I suppose it could be called “audience assumption”. The screenwriters assume you have either read the book and know it is a memory, or are smart enough to reason it out.
In answer to the question about why “Harry always says ‘WHAT?’” my response was this:
On that level, There is a certain degree of “audience assumption” the writers have to take into account.
There are members of any audience that hasn’t read the book, or seen the last movie.
Just as authors sometimes sum up a concept in a few words (in Harry’s 2nd year, he had saved Ron’s little sister’s life), screenwriters can sum up information, or pass new information on to audience in a more succinct way if one of the characters is a bit confused.
If Harry is asking “what?”, it is probably because there are a number of people in the audience who the writers guess will also be saying “what?” and therefore, it makes sense to have a character confused so to provide answers (unless its Inception or the Dark Knight…in which case we may never get clear answers).
In the part asking if I thought Harry was stupid, I answered this:
In a novel, the author has the ability to describe things to you, the reader, in a manner rarely achieved in film making.
For instance (made up line): “Even though he understood the concept, Harry could see in Ron’s eyes that he wasn’t taking in a single word Hermione was saying. Hermione, however, seemed to think Ron had grasped the subject, and didn’t take so much as a breath before moving on”.
Now, in a movie, we can’t very well have Harry say “Ron, I see in your eyes that you don’t understand a single word Hermione is saying, and Hermione, even thought I get what you’re saying, Ron doesn’t so don’t move on.”
In real life, we [may] say such a thing.
But in a movie, where time is money, having Harry and Ron exchange confused glances and Harry say “what?” (even though he may get the idea in the books) will not only simplify matters, but it may clear up confusion for audience members who may also be saying “what?”.
The answers I gave were short, and quick, but at least it will give you something to think about! I will definitely return to the idea in the future, as I have thought about it a lot before. The concept of audience awareness and audience assumption. But this is just a little teaser, something to get you thinking during the middle of the week.
And if you didn’t get anything else from the post, know I do not think Harry is stupid. In the books – or the films.
Today, Chicago was the place most Harry Potter fans wanted to be.
Earlier today, Warner Brothers aired a test screening of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I for a theatre full of lucky people! In attendance were director David Yates and producer David Heyman. The purpose of the test screenings is to gage “audience” reactions; the film shown is rarely the finished product. This was the case with Deathly Hallows, which lacked the actual musical score and still had a few special effect touch-ups to make.
Aside from the occasional green-screen though, fans who were in attendance have been sending in their reviews of Deathly Hallows to fansites around the Potterweb. Following is a compilation of many different fan reviews. I started out writing a “non-spoiler” and “spoiler” separated post, but soon realized that there is just too much to spoil…so I say it now: SPOILER ALERT. If you are one of those fans who prefers to be surprised (all power to you, I can’t do it!) or simply someone who has not yet read the book – turn back now. However, if you are like me, and just cannot wait – read on fellow fans, read on!
Please remember, these reviews are not mine (and neither are their opinions). The reviews are taken from mugglenet.com, snitchseeker.com, and The Leaky Cauldron.com. Be aware, it would stand to reason that these fans (having submitted their reviews to HP fansites) are already Harry Potter fans; non-fans may have different reviews.
In a NutShell:
Runtime: 2 hours and 30 minutes
Rating: No official rating, but many of the reviews believe it will get PG-13.
Accuracy to the Book: Excellent; with this long of a movie, it seems they followed the book almost scene for scene. A few scenes are reworked/modified a little, but they are largely useful adaptions.
General Fan Reaction: Quite Positive: “The most perfect Harry Potter film yet”…”Hands down, the best”…”Very Pleased”…”Effective and Exciting”
Best Parts: Character Focus and Development both by the Actors and Directors. Gorgeous cinematography and
Best Scene(s): Dobby’s Death, the Seven Potters, Malfoy Mannor, Destroying the Locket Horcrux
Best on the edge of your seats moments: Kingsley’s deep booming voice from his Patronus, The Malfoy Manor torture scene
Is Everybody There?: According to available reports – yes! Umbridge, Kreacher, Lupin, Xeno, Scrimgeour – they’re all in.
“Worst” Part: It may have actually been too accurate to the books, and seems a little slow at times. For non-HP fans, runtime may be too long. Camping scenes become a bit repetitive.
The Effects: Many of the effects were not yet completed, but of the ones shown, the reviewers were impressed.
Highlights from the fan reviews:
There are really five solid reviews from the screening today. Each varies a little, and brings something else to the entire picture. The reviews are from Mugglenet staff Eric and Emerson (who also recorded a mini-podcast immediately after the screeening), Gabby, Mugglenet reader Kyle (who actually gave two different reviews, one to snitchseeker and one to Mugglenet), a mysterious IMDB user “Snatcherman”, who answered questions from fans, and Edward from the Leaky Cauldron. Click on the links to view their full reports, and keep reading for a collection of highlights from the reviews. The reviews are extremely spoiler filled, and I actually wish I hadn’t read them all, so again, proceed at your own risk. If you choose ones to avoid for spoiler reasons, avoid Gabby’s and the review from Snatcherman (which is the second “spoiler alert” tab on snitchseeker.com).
The Plot:
The movie opens with Minister of Magic, played by Bill Nighy, addressing the media. The scene shifts to see each of the trio in their homes, Harry at the Dursley’s with Sirius’s mirror (although we don’t know quite how he got it) and then to Hermione’s house where we actually see her erase herself from her parent’s memory.’ The scene with Voldemort, Snape, and his Death Eaters at Malfoy Manor discussing their plans is next. According to reviews, the demeanor of the Malfoy family is very well played throughout the entire movie – showing both the demoralization and desperation of the Pureblood family that used to be so high in Voldemort’s favor. This is the first scene where we get to see Voldemort speak as much as he does.
The movie progresses as the book does with the Seven Potters scene, which is appropriately amusing at first (we get to see Harry in a bra). Reviewers Eric and Emerson mentioned that, while the scene was funny at first, it turned dark as it climaxed – and was excellently directed. For those wondering, George’s ear does get sliced off – and the “Holey” joke is still in.
Next comes the wedding which is abruptly ended with the arrival of Kingsley’s Patronus (which is excellent portrayed, giving the audience the “no more fun and games” jolt). After a battle in a London cafe is the flight to Grimauld place, then the infiltration of the Ministry (where Umbridge is “vile”), followed by the escape to the forest. During these scenes, many plot holes were filled in with flashbacks (such as how who got what horcrux) and dream sequences (much like those Harry experiences in the book). Throughout the time at the forest, it becomes clear that Ron’s friendship with Harry is becoming strained, and according to reviewers, the interactions are difficult to watch. The story plays out with Ron’s furious exit, Godric’s Hollow, Bathilda Bagshot (and her opened intestines), and the return of Ron to Harry’s aid. Of the scene with the destruction of the locket, it seems that it could not have been better written, directed, and performed. The mini podcast from mugglenet discusses the scene further, but it looks like the scene is almost perfect.
After the return of Ron, the trio proceed to Xenophilius Lovegood’s house and learn of the story of the Three Brothers (which is animated, and highly praised). Xeno then invokes the tabooed “Voldemort”, leading to the trio’s race from the Snatchers in a nearby forest. After their capture, Harry, Ron, and Hermione are taken to Malfoy Manor.
The Malfoy Manor scene has received absolutely spectacular reviews – the scene with Hermione and Bellatrix is done perfectly. The screams and torture made viewer’s cringe all around, and the viscousness of Bellatrix allows us to see the absolutely brutal side of her which has been hidden slightly behind her sarcasm and insanity over the last two films. Enter Dobby, to the cheer and applause of the movie theatre. Missing for 4 movies, Dobby makes an incredible return, as hero and martyr for Harry. His death was done “absolutely perfect” and “made the entire audience cry”. Harry’s insistence to give Dobby a proper burial makes the tears flow even more.
The movie ends as the Entertainment Weekly magazine discussed, with Voldemort gaining possession of the Elder Wand by defacing Dumbldore’s grave. The “lightning storm” we see during the trailer is presumably the last shot of the movie.
The Acting:
Reviewers raved and raved about the absolutely PHENOMENAL acting from every actor and actress in the movie, especially the trio. “Leaps and bounds” better than the last movie, the characterization that JK Rowling so expertly imput in her novel is portrayed without flaw on the screen; the scenes that were hard to read are hard to watch; the scenes that made you laugh in the books made you laugh in the audience; the scenes that made you cry when reading made you cry when watching. The trio captures your heart, and tears it from you.
The Directing:
David Yates seems to have created a movie that has a feel unlike any other movie before it. “I kept trying”, said Mugglnet’s Eric and Emerson, “to think – what is this movie like? What movie have I seen that is like this? But I couldn’t think of any – it is just unique”. Yate’s ability to work a scene to be both humorous, then suddenly dark and terrifying – but without feeling awkward – is prevalent throughout the movie. Reviewer’s say the director’s vision for many of the scenes is incredible; some of the most beautiful shots are of the gorgeous countryside.
The Editing
While not fully complete, viewers did get a glimpse at the final editing (which includes things like camera angles, timing, and special effects). Reviews of this part were mixed; reviewer Kyle thought thought the timing was off, with many scenes too rushed, and others far too long. Eric and Emerson, however, thought the timing was perfect. It depends, then, on how you liked the pacing of the novel:
It faithfully adapts the seventh book, including the book’s own problems. The “camping in the wilderness” scenes become quite repetitive.
We shall see when the final editing is released – nothing is set in stone. The effects that were seen (incomplete as they may have been) impressed reviewers. There was…however…a bit of a funny conversation on the mugglenet mini-cast, which suggested that Kreacher may not have been fully animated yet (meaning it may have been very funny looking on screen). But that’s good news fans! It means he is in!
“To believe that this is just Part I is crazy”. Whether you are a book purist, movie buffs, or just plain character fans, it seems like this movie will not disappoint. I absolutely cannot wait for the movie – to be able to see this on the big screen. As mentioned before, be careful in reading the other reviews – there are some things I would have wished to be surprised on; however, sometimes, the anticipation only makes it harder to watch.
After months and months of waiting, groveling, and tormenting cast members for news, Harry Potter fans can now rejoice! For scans from the newest Entertainment Weekly have revealed the SPLIT for HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS!
“Part I will end at about Chapter 24, with Voldemort gaining possession of the Elder Wand, one of the three Deathly Hallows”
The article (which is most easily accessible though The Leaky Cauldron) goes on to explain that while the decision was economical – it was also creative, with the intention of portraying Jo Rowling’s book the best way possible. It is interesting to note that, the article does mention that the end will be at “about” Chapter 24. Voldemort gets the wand at the END of Chapter 24 (“The Wandmaker”), meaning that there will likely be the conversation between Harry and Ollivander that we saw in the original teaser trailer (“What do you know about the Deathly Hallows”). It doesn’t really make sense to not have the conversation – after all, the audience doesn’t know what the Deathly Hallows are and that Dumbledore had the Elder Wand, then Voldemort defacing the grave and stealing the wand really wouldn’t be that climactic. [Assuming, that for some obscure reason, you haven't read the book].
In addition to the split, new cast interviews and behind the scenes snapshots can be found in the article. The article also gives some insight into the difficulty of the filming:
“In the film, Ron and Hermione have recently destroyed another horcrux in water and were pursued by a Voldemort-shaped tsunami. [They] were kept soaked by crew members, who sprayed the pair down every few minutes. It was not making Watson happy: “It’s been this way for weeks,” she said, shivering next to a space heater. “I hate to sound whiny, but it’s horrible. It’s miserable being wet all the time.”Director David Yates went on: “‘We shot for a very long time, by any standards’ Yates says of the final two films. ‘Dan and Rupert were on set for a year – and there were phases, periods, where they all felt like ‘God, we just gotta get to the end of it. We need closure.’ ‘This film has been hard to make, says Radcliffe, ‘and I’ve had some of the most trying moments, both physically and mentally’.
Despite the difficulty of shooting, the rewards will be incredible – both for the actors, and the audience. Emma justified the misery of being sopping wet:
“You know, I was told it will look very dramatic when you see the films, so it will be worth it.”
Similarly, David Yates described what makes the actors so dedicated,
“From my point of view, they were also very committed to giving their best because this was the last opportunity to be these characters”.
Even though the cast is ready to move on (it has, after all, been 10 years), each has a special place in their heart for Harry Potter. In recent interviews, we’ve heard of how much Tom Felton and Dan Radcliffe are going to miss filming. Said Tom, at Comic Con, “Dan cried like a girl”. And now Rupert adds his two cents, “The film is a great way to finish the whole era, and its going to be sad, because obviously all my friends are here”. The article discusses the last day the trio filmed together:
“It was bizarre,” said Watson. “Walking onto set that day, there was this incredibly thick atmosphere. It felt like a moment in history. It felt really big”. In the scene, Harry, Ron, and Hermione have broken into the Ministry of Magic. They jinx a women, and drag her into a tiny storage area. So the final frame ever shot of all three actors together takes place in a cramped little room. “These three characters have been in the most fantastical situations at Hogwarts – they’ve been in the Dark Forest, all these extraordinary places,” says Yates. “It was an odd way to finish, really”. But poetic, perhaps, considering that the whole series began with a boy who lived in a tiny room under the stairs of a house on Privet Drive. “In a way,” says Yates, “the series started with a cupboard and ended with one”.
The magazine article, as is customary for Entertainment Weekly, was flooded with brand new pictures, including:
The Death Eaters in Malfoy Manor with Draco Malfoy, his parents, and Bellatrix
A glimpse of Xenophillius Lovegood
Multiple pictures of Harry and Hermione
New glimpses (and descriptions) of Bathilda Bagshot, Ministry Officials, Rufus Scrimgeour, and Gregorovitch
A sweet shot of Ginny and Harry
A two page spanning wide shot of Hagrid and Harry in the flying motorbike
A highly detailed shot [scene below] of Harry scrambling to grab something (presumably his wand) in a destroyed house (most likely the circular house of the Lovegood’s).
Scans of the article, which includes the picture can be found in excellent quality on rupertgrint.net.
Thoughts on the Split
While I was hoping for something a little more ‘cliff-hanger’ like for the ending (after the Snatchers snatch the trio, Hermione’s tortured screams echoing over a black screen), I think this will make an excellent ending to Part I. Giving the audience a change to breathe after what is sure to be a terrifying Malfoy Manor scene may be just what we need to be able to exit the theatre in an organized fashion. The split leaves a lot of room in the second half for a cinematographic masterpiece. Overall? I am quite pleased with the decision, and although I was kind of hoping they wouldn’t reveal the decision at all, and let us find out at the premiere, I think this makes more sense. After all – if you don’t like it, now you can get over it by the time the film is out.
Thoughts on the Article
As a fan of the books, but also of the movies, I am thrilled to see that the actors have not only put their heart and soul into the characters. There is nothing worse than an actor who doesn’t care about their character. Off screen, while sitting in the audience, there is something about knowing that an actor really connected and understood their character that makes the experience all the more real. I really enjoyed the article, and hope to get the actual edition in the future.
Cheers – and go CRAZY HP fans! Its okay!
How did you find this blog? A bunch of people are being referred to my blog from facebook, which is awesome, but I can’t tell who referred me. I’d like to say thanks…so if you found this blog via a facebook page, let me know in the comments who told you about A Year in the Life of a Muggle Fanatic! And thanks for visiting!
What are your thoughts? Happy with the split? Had other ideas? Share them below!
Spectacular news, Merlin fans!
